AFC Asian Cup: first edition with 24 teams will end on 01/02/2019 (United Arab Emirates)

The first edition with 24 teams (instead of 16) of the AFC Asian Cup, which started on 05/01/2019 in the United Arab Emirates (1-1 in the opening match between the UAE and Bahrain, in Group A), will end at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, 01/02/2019.

Organized for the first time in 1956, the Asian Cup is the second oldest continental tournament in the world, after the Copa America of CONMEBOL. The 51 matches are spread over 28 days.

"Winners on home soil in 2015, Australia (defeated 1-0 in its first match by Jordan, in Group B, on 06/01/2019) head to just their fourth Asian championship having featured in the two previous finals. Four-time champions Japan head to UAE with a stunning historical record, (and) Korea Republic, IR Iran and Saudi Arabia are all well placed after building a strong platform at Russia 2018," stated FIFA on 04/01/2019.

"Kyrgyz Republic, Philippines and Yemen are the three new faces at the tournament, with the trio encapsulating the continent’s cultural diversity. Palestine return after their debut four years ago, while Lebanon feature…