Thiruvananthapuram: Excitement is building as Asia’s biggest football tournament is set to kick off on Friday, with hosts Qatar facing Lebanon in the opening match at 9:30 pm in the iconic Lusail Stadium. Bharat, eager to make its mark, will play its first match against Australia on Saturday, with fans optimistic about the team’s recent successes and improved FIFA rankings.
The tournament features 24 teams, divided into six groups for the group stage competition. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-place finishers will advance to the quarterfinals. Bharat finds themselves in Group B alongside formidable opponents Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria. In the 2019 edition, Bharat was eliminated in the group stage, but the team is hopeful for a better performance this time.
Bharat’s group stage matches are scheduled as follows:
- January 13: Australia
- January 18: Uzbekistan
- January 23: Syria
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Indian captain Sunil Chhetri stated, “Australia and Uzbekistan are World Cup-level competing teams. But our team has shown good performance in recent times.”
The knockout stage includes pre-quarters, quarters, semis, and the final. Pre-quarter matches are set to begin on January 28 and conclude on January 31, followed by the quarterfinals on February 2 and 3. The semi-finals are scheduled for February 6 and 7. The highly anticipated final will take place on February 10 at 8:30 p.m. at Lusail Stadium, the same venue that will host the final match of the upcoming Qatar World Cup.
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