What is the 2025 Fifa Arab Cup?
The Arab Cup is a tournament nominally held every four years, contested by national teams from the Arab world. This year's tournament is the second edition held under Fifa's juristiction.
When is it and where is it being played?
The 2025 Arab Cup will take place in Qatar from December 1-18. It is the third time the tournament has been held in Qatar after the 1998 and 2021 editions.
Host venues
Six venues will play host to the regional showpiece. These stadiums were all used during the 2022 World Cup, also held in Qatar.
The Al Bayt Stadium will play host to the tournament opener while the final will be played at the Lusail Stadium.
Al Bayt Stadium – capacity: 68,895
Lusail Stadium – capacity: 88,966
Stadium 974 – capacity: 44,089
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium – capacity: 45,032
Education City Stadium – capacity: 44,667
Khalifa International Stadium – capacity: 45,857
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UAE's World Cup hopes suffered a big blow as they were beaten 2-0 by Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on October 14, 2025. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Dejected UAE defender Kouame Autonne after the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE coach Cosmin Olaroiu and Marcus Meloni after the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Tarek Salman of Qatar is sent off late in the game. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE's Sultan Adil after a missed opportunity. AFP -
Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi, left, celebrates after scoring their first goal. AP -
Dejected UAE players after the first Qatar goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Boualem Khoukhi celebrates after scoring for Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Boualem Khoukhi heads home to put Qatar 1-0 up. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE goalkeeper Khalid Essa during the first half. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE's Marcus Meloni and Mohammad Naceur Al Mannai of Qatar battle for the ball. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Qatar4's Mohammad Naceur Al Mannai after a chance goes begging. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE manager Cosmin Olaroiu during the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Qatar's Mohammad Al Mannai is shown a yellow card by referee Ilgiz Tantashev. Reuters -
Qatar manager Julian Lopetegui is helped to his feet after being hit in the head by the ball. AFP -
The UAE team starting XI before the against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE players line up during the national anthems before the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE fans before the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE fans before the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE fans outside the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE supporters at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. AFP -
UAE fans in the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
UAE fan outside the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Which teams are taking part?
Sixteen nations from Africa and Asia will take part in the 16-team event.
Hosts Qatar and defending champions Algeria, along with the seven highest-ranked nations at the time of the draw − Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and UAE – all qualified for the main tournament automatically.
The remaining seven slots were filled by teams that won single-leg qualification matches played in Qatar in November.
Qualified teams
Qatar (hosts)
Algeria (defending champions)
Bahrain
Comoros
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Morocco
Oman
Palestine
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Tunisia
UAE
Tournament format
Group A: Qatar, Tunisia, Syria, Palestine
Group B: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Comoros
Group C: Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait
Group D: Algeria, Iraq, Bahrain, Sudan
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stage, consisting of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
Extra time and penalties
In the qualification stage, if a match is level at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, no extra time wills be played and penalties will be used to determine the winner. In the knockout stage of the final stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time and, if required, penalties will take place.
Schedule (UAE times)
Monday, December 1
Group A
Tunisia v Syria, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, 5pm
Qatar v Palestine, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 8.30pm
Tuesday, December 2
Group B
Morocco v Comoros, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 4pm
Saudi Arabia v Oman, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 9pm
Group C
Egypt v Kuwait, Lusail Stadium, 6.30pm
Wednesday, December 3
Group C
Jordan v United Arab Emirates, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 9pm
Group D
Algeria v Sudan, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, 4pm
Iraq v Bahrain, Stadium 974, Doha, 6.30pm
Thursday, December 4
Group A
Palestine v Tunisia, Lusail Stadium, 6.30pm
Syria v Qatar, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 9pm
Friday, December 5
Group B
Oman v Morocco, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 6.30pm
Comoros v Saudi Arabia, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 10.30pm
Saturday, December 6
Group C
Kuwait v Jordan, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm
United Arab Emirates v Egypt, Lusail Stadium, 10.30pm
Group D
Bahrain v Algeria, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan 5.30pm
Sudan v Iraq, Stadium 974, Doha, 8pm
Sunday, December 7
Group A
Qatar v Tunisia, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 9pm
Syria v Palestine, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 9pm
Monday, December 8
Group B
Morocco v Saudi Arabia, Lusail Stadium, 9pm
Oman v Comoros, Stadium 974, Doha, 9pm
Tuesday, December 9
Group C
Egypt v Jordan, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 6.30pm
United Arab Emirates v Kuwait, Stadium 974, Doha, 6.30pm
Group D
Algeria v Iraq, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 9pm
Bahrain v Sudan, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan 9pm
Knockout stage fixtures
Thursday, December 11
QF1: Group B winners v Group A runners-up, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 6.30pm
QF2: Group A winners v Group B runners-up, Lusail Stadium, 9.30pm
Friday, December 12
QF3: Group C winners v Group D runners-up, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 6.30pm
QF4: Group D winners v Group C runners-up, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 9.30pm
Monday, December 15
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 6.30pm
SF2: Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 3, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 9.30pm
Thursday, December 18
Match for third place: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm
Final: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Lusail Stadium, 8pm
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at www.fifa.com/en/tickets.
TV
All matches will be broadcast live on BeIN Sports.
Previous champions
2021: Algeria
2012: Morocco
2002: Saudi Arabia
1998: Saudi Arabia
1992: Egypt
1988: Iraq
1985: Iraq
1966: Iraq
1964: Iraq
1963: Tunisia
