Australia
Fifa world ranking: 41
Ranking in Asia: 2
Previous Asian Cups: 3
Best Asian Cup performance: Champions (2015)
2015 Asian Cup: Champions
Nickname: Socceroos
Manager: Graham Arnold
Captain: Mark Milligan
Player to watch: Martin Boyle
Fixtures: January 6 v Jordan (Al Ain); January 11 v Palestine (Dubai); January 15 v Syria (Al Ain)
A new-look Australia will seek the consolation of a successful Asian Cup title defence after their disappointing group stage exit from the World Cup this year.
Under Bert van Marwijk, the Socceroos bowed out of Russia winless and with only two goals from penalties, underlining the team's struggles to score against quality defences.
New manager Graham Arnold, in his second stint in charge, has shaken up the team's attacking formation. He has opted for a trio of interchangeable strikers up front rather than a traditional centre forward.
Jordan
Fifa world ranking: 109
Ranking in Asia: 19
Previous Asian Cups: 3
Best Asian Cup performance: Quarter-finals (2004, 2011)
2015 Asian Cup: Group stage
Nickname: The Chivalrous
Manager: Vital Borkelmans
Captain: Amer Shafi
Player to watch: Munther Abu Amarah
Fixtures: January 9 v Australia (Al Ain); January 10 v Syria (Al Ain); January 15 v Palestine (Abu Dhabi)
Jordan will be looking to have a similar impact to the one on their Asian Cup debut in 2004, when the country pushed defending champions Japan to the brink of elimination in the quarter-finals.
New manager Vital Borkelmans has had limited time with his team, who have been handed a difficult draw. But, having defeated Australia earlier in qualifying, the west Asian nation will be confident their robust football will pay dividends.
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Palestine
Fifa world ranking: 99
Ranking in Asia: 16
Previous Asian Cups: 1
Best Asian Cup performance: Group stage (2015)
2015 Asian Cup: Group stage
Nickname: The Knights
Manager: Noureddine Ould Ali
Captain: Abdelatif Bahdari
Player to watch: Abdelatif Bahdari
Fixtures: January 6 v Syria (Sharjah); January 11 v Australia (Dubai); January 15 v Jordan (Abu Dhabi)
Palestine have qualified for the Asian Cup for the second tournament in a row after securing their spot at the 2015 finals by winning the AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives a year earlier.
This time the west Asian side have progressed through the regular qualifying campaign and will hope to have shaken off the issues that hampered them late in the campaign.
Bolivian manager Julio Cesar Baldevisieo controversially replaced Abdel Nasser Barakat, only to be fired himself and replaced by Noureddine Ould Ali.
Syria
Fifa world ranking: 74
Ranking in Asia: 6
Previous Asian Cups: 5
Best Asian Cup performance: Group stage (1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2011)
2015 Asian Cup: Did not qualify
Nickname: Qasioun Eagles
Manager: Bernd Stange
Captain: Omar Al Somah
Player to watch: Omar Kharbin
Fixtures: January 6 v Palestine (Sharjah); January 10 v Jordan (Al Ain); January 15 v Australia (Al Ain)
Bernd Stange has one goal above all others when he leads Syria to the finals of the Asian Cup next month - to put a smile back on the faces of the country's war-ravaged people.
The veteran German manager was lured out of retirement this year to take charge of the Syrians as they seek to build on their remarkable run to the verge of qualifying for their first World Cup finals last year.
While a play-off loss at the hands of Australia ended those hopes, the 70 year old is hoping to revive memories of that campaign at the continental championship in January.
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