FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ kicks off in little more than three months
2021 edition saw more than 600,000 tickets allocated and global TV audience reach of 272 million
"The hospitality and facilities are exceptional," says FIFA President Gianni Infantino
The highly anticipated FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ will kick off in 100 days with the Arab world's biggest football competition bringing together the best teams from across the region in Qatar from 1-18 December. This is the second time that Qatar will host the prestigious tournament. In 2021, the country hosted the inaugural edition, the first time the competition was played under the auspices of FIFA. It proved to be a resounding success, with more than 600,000 tickets allocated and a global TV audience reach of 272 million around the world enjoying some thrilling action. Held in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the tournament proved to be of huge interest and generated excitement and passion among fans across the region and beyond. "The FIFA World Cup 2022 was an incredible success - the best FIFA World Cup ever - and it followed 12 months after another historic event in Qatar: the first ever FIFA Arab Cup. I know Qatar will once again brilliantly rise to the challenge of staging these exciting FIFA tournaments," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the competition's draw in May. "The hospitality and facilities in this country are exceptional, and every team will have the best conditions in which to prepare," added Mr Infantino. A total of 23 teams, made up of 12 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member associations including hosts Qatar, and 11 from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will have a chance to lift the coveted trophy. Nine of the highest FIFA ranked teams have qualified automatically, while 14 will vie for the remaining seven spots in a series of qualifiers taking place in Qatar on 25 and 26 November.
For Algeria's talismanic striker Baghdad Bounedjah, the significance of the FIFA Arab Cup™ goes beyond football. Speaking to the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the 33-year-old, who was part of the winning squad in 2021 that made history with their first FIFA Arab Cup™ win, said: "The tournament plays an important role in showcasing Arab and Islamic culture to the world. It's a celebration of our identity and an opportunity to showcase our shared passion for the beautiful game on such a global scale. The 16 teams who make it into the tournament itself will play in four groups of four teams, with the top two from each advancing to the knockout stage. The final will be held at the magnificent Lusail Stadium on 18 December, Qatar National Day, which is a public holiday in the country.
The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ will be played across six stadiums that previously hosted matches during the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. All venues are connected seamlessly by public transport and will offer a barrier-free experience to disabled fans. Four years ago, Algeria clinched the title with a 2-0 victory over Tunisia, in front of 60,456 spectators at the world-renowned Al Bayt Stadium.
"Winning the Arab Cup was a big achievement for the team, especially because we won in Qatar while playing in World Cup stadiums. I am grateful that I was part of the squad that lifted the coveted cup. It was surreal - celebrating with the team and fans after our win," added Bounedjah, who will be on familiar ground as he plays as a striker for Al-Shamal in the Qatar Stars League. The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ is part of several tournaments that Qatar will be hosting until the end of the year, including the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025™ from 3-27 November.
