After a five year wait, the 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup is set to get underway on January 12th. Initially, the tournament was supposed to happen in 2023, as the previous iteration of the quadrennial competition took place in 2019. However, some logistical issues, namely China seeing their hosting rights removed due to issues with COVID in the country and Qatar being given the opportunity instead, saw the tournament pushed back to January 2024 in order to also accommodate the extremely high temperatures in Qatar.
As we await the opening match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, here are five interesting facts and stats before the start of the competition.
A long and very rich history
Did you know that the AFC Asian Cup is the second oldest continental competition in the world? Created in 1956, it is even older than the UEFA Euro competition, which was officially founded in 1958 but did not actually start until 1960.
Only CONMEBOL's Copa America, which was created in 1916 and also began play that year, has been in existence longer than the AFC Asian Cup.
It's been a very long time since this team featured at the AFC Asian Cup...
...in fact, it has been over half a century since Hong Kong featured at the AFC Asian Cup. The last time they participated was in 1968, well before quite a few footballing fans were even born, and they will naturally be hoping for better luck than they experienced over 50 years ago, when they finished last in a group that included eventual champions Iran, Burma (who finished second), Israel (who finished third), and China.
A nation hoping to make a splash in their debut
An expanded field naturally gives a great chance to some newer faces on the footballing scene. This year's edition will feature one debutant, with Tajikistan set to appear at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in national history. Nicknamed the Crowns or the Persian Lions by sections of their fanbase, Tajikistan have been placed in Group A, alongside hosts Qatar as well as China and Lebanon.
Iran are the only side to have achieved this feat...but have experienced frustration in the decades since
Iran certainly are no strangers to the AFC Asian Cup. Team Melli have won the competition three times (in 1968, 1972, and 1976), which makes them among the most successful side in this competition. They are also featuring in their 15th consecutive AFC Asian Cup and have qualified for every single edition since 1968, during which they won the first of their three titles.
To date, Iran are the only side to have won a "three-peat", but despite this, they have experienced a frustrating trophy drought extending back nearly five decades. Will they see their fortunes improve at the upcoming 2023 AFC Asian Cup?
Kyrgyzstan have looked beyond their borders to further bolster their squad
The upcoming AFC Asian Cup will be the second appearance for Kyrgyzstan since the fall of the Soviet Union back in the 1990s. To that end, the team have decided to mix things up a bit as they hope to successfully navigate their way through a group that features Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Thailand.
For starters, they appointed former defender Štefan Tarkovič in April 2023. A Slovak international, the 50-year-old is the first manager not from Kyrgyzstan or Russia to lead the national side. Tarkovič himself has looked beyond the country's borders when looking to source talent. The addition of Ghanaian-born Joel Kojo, who has been setting the pitch alight in the Kyrgyz Premier League and recently received Kyrgyz citizenship, is one player that Tarkovič will be hoping can help carry the side in this competition.
Make sure you bookmark our special AFC Asian Cup broadcast page for how to watch all the games from your current location.
