Dates, venues, groups, and kickoff times for the Arab world’s biggest football event

The 11th edition of the FIFA Arab Cup begins today in Qatar, marking the start of a 32-match tournament that will run until December 18. Sixteen teams from across the Arab world will compete in the region’s most prestigious football competition.

Opening and Final Matches

The tournament kicks off with two fixtures: Tunisia vs Syria at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and Qatar vs Palestine at Al Bayt Stadium. The final will be held at the iconic Lusail Stadium, which seats 89,000 spectators, on December 18.

Venues

All six stadiums hosting the Arab Cup were previously used during the FIFA World Cup 2022:

• Lusail City: Lusail Stadium (88,966 seats)
• Al Khor: Al Bayt Stadium (68,895 seats)
• Al Rayyan: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (45,032 seats)
• Doha: Stadium 974 (44,089 seats)
• Education City: Education City Stadium (44,667 seats)
• Doha: Khalifa International Stadium (45,857 seats)

Teams and Groups

The 16 participating nations are divided into four groups:

• Group A: Qatar, Tunisia, Syria, Palestine
• Group B: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Comoros
• Group C: Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Kuwait
• Group D: Algeria, Iraq, Bahrain, Sudan

Tournament Format

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, which includes quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. A third-place playoff will also be held. Matches tied after regular time will proceed to extra time and, if necessary, penalties.

Group Stage Fixtures and Kickoff Times

December 1

• Tunisia vs Syria – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, 4:00 PM (13:00 GMT)
• Qatar vs Palestine – Al Bayt Stadium, 7:30 PM (16:30 GMT)

December 2

• Morocco vs Comoros – Khalifa International Stadium, 3:00 PM (12:00 GMT)
• Egypt vs Kuwait – Lusail Stadium, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• Saudi Arabia vs Oman – Education City Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 3

• Algeria vs Sudan – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, 3:00 PM (12:00 GMT)
• Iraq vs Bahrain – Stadium 974, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• Jordan vs UAE – Al Bayt Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 4

• Palestine vs Tunisia – Lusail Stadium, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• Syria vs Qatar – Khalifa International Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 5

• Oman vs Morocco – Education City Stadium, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• Comoros vs Saudi Arabia – Al Bayt Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 6

• Kuwait vs Jordan – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, 2:00 PM (11:00 GMT)
• Bahrain vs Algeria – Khalifa International Stadium, 4:30 PM (13:30 GMT)
• Sudan vs Iraq – Stadium 974, 7:00 PM (16:00 GMT)
• UAE vs Egypt – Lusail Stadium, 9:30 PM (18:30 GMT)

December 7

• Qatar vs Tunisia – Al Bayt Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)
• Syria vs Palestine – Education City Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 8

• Morocco vs Saudi Arabia – Lusail Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)
• Oman vs Comoros – Stadium 974, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

December 9

• Egypt vs Jordan – Al Bayt Stadium, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• UAE vs Kuwait – Stadium 974, 5:30 PM (14:30 GMT)
• Algeria vs Iraq – Khalifa International Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)
• Bahrain vs Sudan – Education City Stadium, 8:00 PM (17:00 GMT)

Rest Day: December 10

Knockout Stage

Quarterfinals

• December 11: Khalifa International Stadium (5:30 PM), Lusail Stadium (8:30 PM)
• December 12: Education City Stadium (5:30 PM), Al Bayt Stadium (8:30 PM)

Semifinals – December 15

• Khalifa International Stadium (5:30 PM), Al Bayt Stadium (8:30 PM)

Third-Place Playoff – December 18

• Khalifa International Stadium, 2:00 PM (11:00 GMT)

Final – December 18

• Lusail Stadium, 7:00 PM (16:00 GMT)