The Arab world’s biggest football competition kicks off on Monday, as 16 teams from across the region face off in Qatar.Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament, which occurs every four years:Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listWhat are the key dates?The FIFA Arab Cup 2025 will begin on Monday, with Tunisia facing Syria in the tournament opener.The final will be played on December 18, marking the conclusion of the 32-match tournament.
Group stage: December 1 to 9
Quarterfinals: December 11 and 12
Semifinals: December 15
Third-place playoff: December 18
Final: December 18
Where is the tournament being held?Qatar is staging the Arab Cup for the third time; it hosted the 1998 and 2021 tournaments. It is also the second successive FIFA tournament hosted by the Gulf nation after the recently concluded FIFA U-17 World Cup.Six venues have been chosen to host the regional showpiece, each of which was used during the FIFA World Cup three years ago.As was the case during Qatar 2022, Al Bayt Stadium, in the northern city of Al Khor, will host the tournament opener, while the magnificent Lusail Stadium will host the final.The 2025 Arab Cup will be the second edition under FIFA’s jurisdiction, with editions before 2021 organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA).Here are the host cities and stadiums:⚽ Lusail City: Lusail Stadium (capacity: 88,966)⚽ Al Rayyan: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (capacity: 45,032)⚽ Al Khor: Al Bayt Stadium (capacity: 68,895)⚽ Doha: Stadium 974 (capacity: 44,089)⚽ Education City: Education City Stadium (capacity: 44,667)⚽ Doha: Khalifa International Stadium (capacity: 45,857) The icon …
