The game between Qatar and Bahrain will open the Arab Cup 2021 that starts today. The tournament sees 32 games and 16 teams from across the Arab world coming to compete in Qatar.

The tournament offers a great opportunity for competitors and spectators to experience the spirit of Qatar and the 6 iconic stadiums that will host the World Cup in 2022. The Arab Cup will be played across unique venues, all of them from the next year’s World Cup list, including Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Education City Stadium and Ras Abu Aboud Stadium.

© Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy

The tournament format involves 16 teams in a group stage, followed by the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the play-off for third place and the grand final. The participating teams, competing under the auspices of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), are divided into four groups of four teams each.

© Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy

The magnificent Al Bayt Stadium is to host the final and the opening ceremony, ahead of the match between Qatar and Bahrain. Those two teams are placed together with Iraq and Oman in the group A. Among the rest of teams are Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Mauritania (group B), Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine (group C). Algeria, the African champion, will play against Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan in the group D.

Recently, we have informed about the readiness of Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, which will host a clash between the United Arab Emirates and Syria, witnessing the official opening of the ground. The FIFA Arab Cup will kick off towards the end of this year and conclude on 18 December, Qatar’s National Day. All our readers can see the full schedule of the tournament here.

© Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy

FIFA, as an organizer, will use the Arab Cup in Qatar to test semi-automated offside VAR, treating the event as the official preparations to the 2022 World Cup. A camera system will be installed on the roof of each stadium, thanks to which the referees' decisions will be more accurate and faster.

Author: Karol Tatar