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Qatar is hosting the 11th edition of the FIFA Arab Cup and the tournament will begin on December 1, with 16 teams facing off in 32 matches throughout the 18-day tournament. Six stadiums that we saw during the 2022 World Cup will be the venues for the regional competition, with the final taking place at the beautiful Lusail Stadium on December 18.
Tournament Format
The Arab Cup is simple and straightforward: 4 groups of 4 teams each, with the top 2 from each group qualifying to the knockout stage. From the quarterfinals onwards, it’s single-elimination. If a game is tied after 90 minutes, it goes to extra time and if needed, a penalty shootout. There’s also a 3rd place match on the same day as the final.
Groups
- 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 FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ trophy in the beIN SPORTS studios 🤩#ArabCup2025 pic.twitter.com/MoLgmffL6q
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) November 26, 2025
Key Matches
The tournament starts with Group A action: Tunisia takes on Syria at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, followed by hosts Qatar facing Palestine at Al Bayt Stadium. Group-stage matches continue daily until December 9, featuring exciting clashes like Morocco vs. Saudi Arabia, Qatar vs. Tunisia, Egypt vs. Jordan, and Algeria vs. Iraq.
The knockout rounds start on December 11 with the quarterfinals, leading into the semifinals on December 15. The third-place playoff and the final are both set for December 18, wrapping up the tournament at Khalifa International Stadium and Lusail Stadium.
Venues
The six stadiums hosting the matches all played a role in the 2022 World Cup:
- Lusail Stadium
- Al Bayt Stadium
- Khalifa International Stadium
- Education City Stadium
- Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
- Stadium 974
Their close proximity makes it easy for fans to catch multiple games in a day.
The Arab Cup is an important stage for national teams in the Middle East and North Africa. It gives the participating African teams a chance to build team cohesion before the AFCON next month.
Read also: 2025 Arab Cup: Morocco’s Full Group Revealed After Final Play-Offs
