QNA
Doha
After the success of Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup that is set to kick off in Doha on Friday with an increasing belief that it would be the best in its history.
Khalifa Suleiman, an analyst at Abu Dhabi Sports Channels, said that the Asian Cup is one of the most anticipated events in Asia and makes it even more special to be hosted by Qatar.
In an interview with the Road to Asia program on Abu Dhabi Sports TV, Suleiman said that Qatar is familiar with hosting many tournaments and this marks the third time that the country is hosting the Asian Cup. He expressed his confidence that it would be perfect and expects that the event will attract great attention in television broadcasting as well.
Ali Masri, an analyst at Abu Dhabi TV, said Qatar’s organization of this tournament is an opportunity for the region’s teams to shine, while if it was held in places like China, the teams would have faced challenges such as the time difference and distance from the fans.
He added that since Qatar overcame the challenges of hosting the World Cup, organizing all other tournaments should be an easy feat. Good management and marketing of the tournament also reflect the level of development that the region has reached. The hosting of such events became an important way to change the perspective that people have toward the region, especially with how the World Cup showcased the well-mannered way of Gulf people in welcoming their guests. Masri also expressed that with the success of the 2022 World Cup, everyone is expecting an epic edition of the Asian Cup.
Analyst Ahmed Dhyaa said that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 is not only a sporting event, but also represents a platform for communication between cultures and enhancing dialogue. With the resounding success in the 2022 World Cup as well as gaining the confidence of international federations, Qatar will be facing a fresh challenge and experience.
The fact that Qatar hosted 81 sporting and international events after the 2022 World Cup, confirms the confidence of the international federations in its organizational capabilities, which was acknowledged by FIFA, the countries participating in the World Cup as well as the fans, Dhyaa said.
He sees that Qatar faces the challenge of staying at the top in organizing global events as well as the challenge of dealing with the different cultures of Asia. The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will include the participation of 24 teams and 51 matches will be held in 9 stadiums that have the latest and best features, thus resulting in the best version of the event.
Lebanese sports expert Ibrahim Wehbe said the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 is a very important event that is anticipated by the Lebanese people since the country’s national team will face Qatar in the opening match at Lusail Stadium. The match is being held according to international standards at a very high level and will witness the presence of the most prominent figures in the world.
Wehbe commented in the Sports Time program on the Al Jadeed that the channel is preparing to cover the opening match and will be present at the event by broadcasting almost daily messages and coverage within the news bulletins and correspondents from Doha.
Playing in the opening match and facing the current Asian Cup title holders, pushes the Lebanese team to do their best and win, Wehbe added.
A report by Saudi Arabia’s Al Madina stated that the event marks a continuous legacy of hosting sports tournaments in Qatar and proves the country’s ability to host major global events and welcome visitors from all over the world thanks to its advanced tourism infrastructure that includes an international award-winning airport that operates flights to many destinations around the world, a metro and tram network that transported more than 18.2 million passengers during the 2022 World Cup, as well luxury hotels and attractive tourist attractions that provides visitors a program full of activities.
Chairman of Qatar Tourism Saad bin Ali Al Kharji was quoted saying that Qatar is pleased to host the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 from Jan 12 to Feb. 10, where visitors will be able to have a thrilling experience and discover many tourist attractions in Qatar.
The report showed that Qatar Tourism will offer a number of notable events and festivals that will satisfy all visitors since the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 coincides with the organization of many other events such as the Shop Qatar 2024, Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE 2024), the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), Qatar Kite Festival 2024 as well as Expo 2023 Doha, in addition to holding a number of other entertainment events.
Jordanian sports journalist Tariq Ghassab commented during his appearance on Jordan TV Sport saying that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will be “historic” and will have a great impact.
He stated that the event will surely be the best in history, especially with Qatar’s organizational capabilities, the international reputation it has garnered after hosting the 2022 World Cup, the country’s infrastructure and stadiums as well as Doha’s ability to attract an international audience which is expected to witness a record attendance.
