AFC Asian Cup (UAE)

5 January – 1 February 2019 

It was the UAE’s second time hosting the AFC Asian Cup since the 1996 finals. On March 9, 2015, it was announced that the UAE had won the rights to host the 2019 editions. The schedule was announced on May 7, 2018. The official logo of the tournament’s seventeenth edition was revealed on January 23, 2017. The total financial prizes were valued at $14.8 million.

24 teams qualified for the tournament.

UAE - Saudi Arabia - Australia - Qatar - Iran - Iraq - Japan - Uzbekistan - Thailand - South Korea - Syria - China - India - Kyrgyzstan - Lebanon - North Korea - Jordan - Vietnam - Palestine - Oman - Bahrain - Turkmenistan - Philippines - Yemen.

6 Groups

A UAE - Thailand - India - Bahrain

B Australia - Syria - Palestine - Jordan

C South Korea - China - Kyrgyzstan - Philippines

D Iran - Iraq - Vietnam - Yemen

E Saudi Arabia - Qatar - Lebanon - North Korea

F Japan - Uzbekistan - Oman - Turkmenistan

Host Stadiums:

Zayed Sports City Stadium (Abu Dhabi) - Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi) - Al Nahyan Stadium (Abu Dhabi) - Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium (Al Ain) - Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium (Al Ain) - Sharjah Stadium (Sharjah) - Rashid Stadium (Dubai) – Al Maktoum Stadium (Dubai)

Ranking:

Champions: Qatar

Runners-up: Japan

Number of matches: 51

Number of Goals Scored: 130

Public Attendance: 644,307

Top Scorer: Almoez Ali (QAT), 9 goals

Best Player: Almoez Ali (QAT)

Best Goalkeeper: Saad Al-Sheeb (QAT)

Fair Play: Japan

UAE Matches:

UAE - Bahrain 1 - 1

UAE – India 2 – 0

UAE – Thailand 1 – 1

UAE – Kyrgyzstan 3 – 2

UAE – Australia 1 – 0

UAE – Qatar 0 – 4

The occupancy rate in most of the country's hotels during the tournament reached more than 95%. 1,464 members of the media attended the matches.

The 2019 AFC Asian Cup logo was included on the passport stamp of travelers to the Emirates, marking the event as a forum for various nationalities to gather together under the banner of love and tolerance. The UAE’s aim was to embody a unique model of coexistence and convergence between cultures and civilizations.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The show included singing performances entitled “Zhaha Zayed” / Hussein Al Jasmi - Aida Al Menhali - Balqis

The conclusion saw a high level of attendance, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, AFC President Salman Bin Ibrahim, Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Vice President of the Local Organizing Committee for the Asian Cup (UAE 2019), President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Football Association, Marwan bin Ghalita.

Members of the local supreme committee organizing the Asian Cup UAE 2019

His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council

His Excellency Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Vice President

His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, representative of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare

His Excellency Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, representative of the Football Association

His Excellency Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, representative of the Ministry of Interior

His Excellency Mohammed bin Thaloub Al Darei, Director of Abu Dhabi Group

His Excellency Saeed Hareb Al Falahi, Director of Dubai Group

His Excellency Hamad bin Nakhirat Al Ameri, Director of Al Ain Group

His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, Director of the Tournament and Executive Office

The championship logo expressed the Emirati identity and indicates the unity of the Emirates, as the intersecting hexagons symbolize the country’s heritage and culture, represented by one of the ancient traditions that continues to this day, which is the use of palm leaves to produce beautiful pieces of art.

The logo also derived its colors (black, green, red and white) from the colors of the state flag, in addition to the overlapping of colored stripes that form seven hexagons, each of which symbolizes one of the seven emirates of the country that united together to form the spirit of the union The outer circle symbolized football as a sport that united the Asian continent. Islamic geometric art was used to implement the logo, and its preparation focused on the presence of a local and historical Arab and Islamic dimension.

80 television channels broadcasted the tournament matches.

2.5 billion people viewed the matches on television.