The grandest ever edition of Asia’s national team flagship got underway in spectacular fashion on Friday evening with a record number of spectators contributing to the electric atmosphere during the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ between Qatar and Lebanon.
 
A total of 82,490 fans thronged the iconic Lusail Stadium to witness Qatar get off to a winning start in the 18th edition of Asia’s crown jewel, which eclipsed the previous attendance record of 40,000 for an opening match in AFC Asian Cup™ history that was set in 2004 when China PR and Bahrain played out a 2-2 draw at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing.
 
The 3-0 victory, which meant that reigning champions Qatar moved to the top of Group A, was achieved thanks to a brace from Akram Afif and a header from Almoez Ali, with the latter’s strike taking him to joint-second place in the all-time AFC Asian Cup™ scoring charts on 10 goals.
 
The match also saw the implementation of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) system, marking its debut at an AFC competition and making the AFC the first Confederation in world football to apply the system at the Continental Men’s national team level. The SAOT system complemented the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which made its full debut following its successful implementation from the Quarter-final stage during the 2019 tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
 
Staged in Qatar for a record third time, the showpiece will continue today with three more matches as Australia take on India in the first match of Group B at 2.30pm at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, followed by the second Group A clash between China PR and Tajikistan at 5.30pm at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium before Uzbekistan and Syria round off the day in their Group B fixture at 8.30pm at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

With the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ kicking off today, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that their Media Partner, Beijing Shinai Sports Media Technology Co. Ltd (“Shinai”), has sublicensed the media rights in China PR to China Media Group (CMG). 
 
Millions of fans across China PR will now be able to follow the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ matches live on CCTV5 and CCTV5+. In addition to CCTV, fans can also watch every match live on iQiyi Sport and China Mobile Migu.

Bhubaneswar: A ten-man Bengaluru FC began their Super Cup campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Odisha at the Kalinga Stadium, on Friday. A fortuitous Ahmed Jahouh goal (21’) gave Sergio Lobera’s side all points in a Group D clash, the second half of which the Blues played with a man short after Ryan Williams was sent off at the stroke of half-time. 

The absence of the national team players owing to the Asian Cup in Qatar, saw Zaragoza hand young goalkeeper Sahil Poonia his Bengaluru debut, while another youngster in Lalremtluanga Fanai, started in the middle of the pitch alongside captain Keziah Veendorp. 

The Blues had the first big chance of the game early on, when Amey Ranawade could clear a cross from Naorem Roshan only as far as Sivasakthi Narayanan. The striker hit the ball on the go, only to see Mawia Ralte thwart the attempt. 

However, it was Odisha who grabbed the lead against the run of play when Poonia failed to judge the bounce on Ahmed Jahouh’s harmless-looking freekick before watching it bobble in for a lead that shouldn’t have been. Things went from bad to worse for Bengaluru who were reduced to ten men just after the whistle for half-time was blown, with Ryan Williams being shown a red card for a verbal tirade directed at the fourth official. 

Despite being pegged back by a goal and short on a man, Bengaluru took complete control of the game, and even came close to an equaliser just shy of the hour mark. Exchanging a smart one-two with Sivasakthi, Javi found himself through on goal, but delayed his shot and allowed Ranawade that extra second he needed to nick the ball off the Spaniard. 

The Bengaluru No.10 came close minutes later, with an audacious overhead kick that Ralte managed to palm away for a corner. Zaragoza’s men threw everything at Odisha who, despite looking shaky at the back, managed to keep Bengaluru at bay. 

The Blues have four days to regroup before they take on FC Goa who were 2-1 winners over Inter Kashi in Friday’s early kick-off.

Lallianzuala Chhangte has risen the ranks to become a mainstay for the Indian national team and will play a key role in their pursuits in the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. The ISL Golden Ball winner delivered impressive numbers by scoring 10 goals and assisting six times to help Mumbai City FC secure the League Winners’ Shield last season. He was named the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year for 2022-23 and his seven strikes in 32 appearances for the Blue Tigers suggest that he is hungry for success at the international level.

Chhangte trusts the team playing the Asian Cup to come on top of the challenges that they will encounter in terms of facing Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria in the group stages. Speaking in the latest episode of In the Stands, he mentioned the squad has an impressive fighting spirit fostered due to years of playing together as a unit.

“When it comes to the national team, you are representing 1.4 billion people. You can’t take off your mind and go somewhere else. You have to be focused, during trainings, gym, and especially before the games. So, the atmosphere needs to be perfect, and it is good. We have been together for three-four years, and it is a great team. We have learnt so many things from each other, so when we take this into the game, we fight for each other and the entire nation,” he said, while speaking on Indian Super League’s ‘In The Stands’ show.

“It was a huge risk to choose to be a professional footballer”

Chhangte hails from Lunglei in Mizoram, but he started his career with the Pune-based DSK Shivajians, before going on to have stints at NorthEast United FC, Delhi Dynamos FC, and Chennaiyin FC in the ISL. He switched to the Islanders in a loan move in January 2022, before his transfer was sealed ahead of the 2022-23 season. Chhangte’s parents are teachers, but he thanks them for believing in his dream to become a professional footballer. He mentions that very few players have actually made it to the top-tier from Mizoram, and hence his decision to dare to dream was actually a big risk.

“Looking back to where I came from, I am living a definite dream right now. I never thought I would be playing in one of the best clubs in India. To represent the country was just a dream back then. My dad and my grandfather were a huge fan of football. So playing football was never a problem, but doing so professionally was a problem. We have got Jeje (Lalpekhlua), Ricky Lallamwamwa, and very few players playing professionally from Mizoram. So, it was a huge challenge and a big risk to play and to decide to be a professional footballer,” Chhangte said.

“Owen Coyle trusted me at Chennaiyin FC”

The 26-year-old was a trailblazer during his time with the Dynamos, making heads turn with his piercing runs on the flank. However, it was at Chennaiyin FC where he actually took a step up, becoming a fan-favourite due to his exploits in the final third. Chhangte became dear to the Marina Machans, as they revered hosting one of the most promising talents in the country. Current head coach Owen Coyle had a big role to play in that, unlocking his potential to help him to score seven goals and spearhead their run to the final in ISL 2019-20.

Chhangte believes that Coyle saw the willingness within him to put in the hard yards and work for the greater good of the team, which helped the coach connect in a good capacity with the player. “The best thing about him is he recognises who works hard in the training pitch. He doesn’t judge players by their abilities, or talents, but he judges by the way they give their best on the pitch. That’s what he saw in me. I was not the most talented, but he saw that I wanted to give everything. He respected that, he trusted the players, he wanted them to explore themselves, enjoy themselves, and that’s the best thing for any player,” Chhangte said.

“Des Buckingham told me he will make me the best player in India”

However, no coach had a bigger influence on him than Des Buckingham at Mumbai City FC. The Oxford United FC head coach had inspired his switch to the Islanders at a time when things weren’t clicking for him at Chennaiyin FC. Despite his lack of form, Buckingham assured Chhangte that greater things were in store for him if he just put his head down and worked towards the same. The tactician undertook an all-round, holistic approach to help the player reach successes that he had never seen before, fine-tuning multiple aspects of his gameplay.

“Coach Des and I had a chat and he told me that he was going to make me one of the best players in India. He said he believed in me, in my abilities, so, he told me that he knows what I can do and as a player you don’t need to think twice. I joined Mumbai City FC knowing that and he was on his words. We put the words into action after that. It was all about training, extra training, whether it’s shooting, crossing, analysing my game and training sessions every week,” Chhangte said.

The ongoing season has been one of self-reflection for Chhangte, who is juggling between a change at the coaching personnel at Mumbai City FC to find his best form yet again. He has scored and assisted twice each in 11 games, but will be heading into the Asian Cup on the back of good form after scoring in the last league match against his former club Chennaiyin FC. Nevertheless, Indian fans will be hoping that he brushes aside any concerns to be at his level best and help the national team get their desired outcomes at the continental stage.

The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ is poised to reach its widest audience in the tournament’s proud history as Asia’s top 24 teams prepare to battle for Continental supremacy across nine world-class venues from 12 January to 10 February 2024.
 
As many as 60 broadcasters are set to showcase the pulsating action in over 160 territories and nations across the globe as the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ cements its place as the most extensively covered and accessible ever edition.
 
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC has underlined its Vision and Mission to ensure football remains the Continent’s number one sport and to stage world-class competitions for our players and teams.
 
“In every way, the broadcast of our most prestigious men’s competition in as many markets and territories as possible further reinforces our ambitions coming to life and underlines the growing stature of the AFC Asian Cup™.
 
“We are grateful for the faith and belief that our broadcast and media partners have placed in Asian football, and we look forward to working with all of them to provide the best possible experience for our passionate fans and valued stakeholders.”

Bhubaneswar, January 11, 2024: Jordan Murray pounced on a perfect cross from Connor Shields to score a goal late in the second half as Chennaiyin FC played out a 1-1 draw with Punjab FC in their first Group C match of the ongoing Kalinga Super Cup 2024 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Thursday.

Murray netted the equaliser for Chennaiyin in the 81st minute, while Wilmar Jordan scored the lone goal for Punjab FC early in the first half of the match. 

Chennaiyin had a slow start to the match and conceded an early goal in the fourth minute when Jordan put the ball in the back of the net following a fine pass from Madih Talal from the right side of the post. 

Seven minutes later, Shields found Murray with an exquisite through ball, however, the striker’s effort at goal was saved by Punjab’s goalkeeper Kiran.  

Akash Sangwan made an attempt at goal from inside the box in the 33rd minute of the match and Punjab’s defenders cleared the ball successfully for a corner to keep the team in the lead. Punjab faced a big setback just before halftime when midfielder Amarjit Singh Kiyam saw a red card for a foul on Ninthoinganba Meetei. 

The injury forced Chennaiyin’s head coach Owen Coyle to make changes as he brought Rahim Ali in place of Meetei, while Vincy Barretto replaced Farukh Choudhary on the field. 

Chennaiyin FC made a frantic start to the second half, having a one-man advantage on the field. They showed high intensity with quick attacks and Shields found himself in the centre of action with a header in the 52nd minute that went over the bar. 

Murray had a great opportunity from the right side of the post in the 68th minute but his attempt to the far post went wide before Shields failed to beat the goalkeeper despite a powerful shot. Chennaiyin faced a heavy blow in the 69th as Rafael Crivellaro saw a red card and left the team with 10 men on the field.

Shields got the ball on the right flank in the 81st minute and found Murray in the box, who made no mistake in scoring the equaliser with a header for Chennaiyin. Three minutes later, Shields found himself with the ball in the centre of the box but couldn’t beat the goalkeeper.

Chennaiyin’s goalkeeper Samik Mitra was called into action in added time and made a fine save on a shot off Abhishek Singh to keep the score level.

The Marina Machans will now face Gokulam Kerala FC on January 16 before taking on Mumbai City FC in their last Group C match on January 21.

In line with its continued efforts to promote transparency and maintain full disclosure in relation to the activities of the FIFA judicial bodies, FIFA has launched a digital tool that lists the clubs subject to registration bans.

Based on FIFA’s legal framework, a registration ban is one of the potential disciplinary measures that may be imposed on clubs by the FIFA judicial bodies or by the Football Tribunal. Once a registration ban has been imposed, the club in question will be prevented from registering new players, either nationally or internationally and whether as amateurs or as professionals, for the full duration of the measure. The club will therefore only be able to register new players again after serving the ban in its entirety or in the event that the ban is lifted by the FIFA administration (usually upon the completion of one or more specific actions by the club).

The primary objective of this new tool is to provide stakeholders, including players and clubs, as well as the general public, with an overview of all clubs currently prevented from registering new players.

The digital tool, which can be accessed here and on legal.fifa.com, will be regularly updated in order to reflect the situation of the clubs subject to registration bans imposed by FIFA.

Doha: Hassan Al Haydos is targeting a successful defence when reigning champions Qatar kick off their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ campaign against Lebanon in Group A on Friday.

As for his opposite number Hassan Maatouk, Qatar 2023 represents an opportunity to create history for Lebanese football – a place in the knockout stage for the first time in their history.

Al Haydos played an integral role in leading Qatar to their first AFC Asian Cup in 2019, and the skipper said they are not ready to relinquish their hold on the trophy.

“It is a relatively good group where all the teams have very similar levels and tomorrow we are starting a new challenge for us,” said Al Haydos.

“For us as players, we need the fans more than ever from the first minute to the end of the game, and I hope that we can get as many points as possible to get to the next round.

“I think the 2019 generation raised our levels and ambitions. We are always required to win in any game and championship we partake in. 

“But challenges are part of football and I hope we can deal with this stress and pressure in a positive manner.

“We are playing the Asian Cup as title holders and in our own home, so we have to perform and show to the fans that we mean business.”

Lebanon were also grouped with Qatar in 2019, with the latter picking up a 2-0 win.

Captain Maatouk sees the return of Miodrag Radulovic as head coach a huge positive and is counting on the Montenegrin’s familiarity with the players to give Lebanon an edge in the tournament.

The 36-year-old, admitting that this could be his last AFC Asian Cup, wants to take Lebanon into the knockout stage for the first time. 

“Our preparations have gone very well with the coach even though he hasn’t been with the team long,” said Maatouk. “But he has worked with us before for four years and we are almost the same squad of players. 

“We are focused and we are not going to spare any effort despite being in a difficult group. Our game against Qatar is the most important game for us because they are a big team and we will try to produce the best result possible.

“When we met in the last Asian Cup, it was difficult. Scoring won’t be easy but we have to try. We have to close down spaces because we know the individual abilities of the players. 

“Playing at Lusail (Stadium) will be a great experience and we have to embrace that, it gives us great motivation to do well as we are truly considering qualifying for the next round which will be a first for Lebanon.”

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed today that Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita will take charge of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ fixture between Australia and India on 13 January 2024 (Saturday) – a landmark appointment that will make her the first woman ever to referee a match in the flagship tournament.

It is the latest feather in the cap of pioneering Yamashita, who is one of five trailblazing female match officials to be involved in the 18^th edition of Asia’s crown jewel in Qatar. She will be ably supported in the Group B encounter at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium by assistant referees Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi – an iconic Japanese trio who made history as the first women officials to oversee matches in the AFC Cup™ (2019), AFC Champions League™ (2022) and J1 League (2023).

The first professional woman referee from Japan, Yamashita earned her FIFA badge in 2015 and has since gone on to smash multiple barriers. The Tokyo native was the first woman to manage a J1 League match in September 2022 and was notably one of six women match officials appointed for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – the first ever appointment of women match officials in the history of the global showpiece.

Yamashita was the main referee for the opening match of the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, where she went on to officiate two more games and served as fourth official for another two. It was her second FIFA Women’s World Cup, following her debut in 2019 in France. Having embarked on her refereeing journey with the support of fellow Tokyo Gakugei University alumna Bozono, Yamashita also has experience at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ (2018 and 2022) and the Olympic Games (2020).

The match between Australia and India is the second to take place at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ and kicks off at 2.30pm local time, with two more to follow on the same day – China PR against Tajikistan in Group A at 5.30pm at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium and Uzbekistan versus Syria in Group B at 8.30pm at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today reaffirmed its commitment to being a global leader in sport integrity by extending its partnership with Sportradar (NASDAQ: SRAD), a leading global sports technology company.
 
Running from 2024 through to 2027, the renewal will take the collaboration between both parties, which first began in 2013, to 14 years.
 
This latest milestone was marked by an agreement signing ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton in Doha on Thursday afternoon, 11 January, between AFC President, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Sportradar CEO, Carsten Koerl on the eve of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™. 
 
AFC President Shaikh Salman said: “For the past 10 years, Sportradar has been a valued, reliable and trusted partner of the AFC, and together we have stood tall to combat the scourge of match-fixing in Asia. 
 
“Since 2013, our collaboration has necessarily evolved strategically to consistently safeguard the integrity of football in Asia, while the AFC has forged a stronger relationship with Sportradar in the process. 
 
“We are proud of what has been accomplished so far but we cannot be complacent and together, we will continue the fight to keep our beautiful game clean for the benefit and enjoyment of our loyal and passionate fans.” 
 
AFC General Counsel & Director of Legal Affairs Andrew Colin Mercer said: “The renewal of the agreement with Sportradar underlines the AFC’s commitment to tackling integrity challenges in Asian football. We have forged a formidable partnership in intelligence gathering and investigation, which underpins our commitment to eradicating ethical misconduct and upholding the highest standards of good governance.” 
 
Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl said: “The success of this partnership is a true testament to the power of collaboration and a unified vision to safeguard the integrity of AFC competitions. We acknowledge the role of technology in sports and recognise its potential to address these challenges. Our capabilities will evolve by exploring new technological frontiers, including AI and machine learning, to mitigate issues such as corruption in sport.”

With just over 24 hours to go before hosts Qatar and Lebanon take centrestage at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ opener at the Lusail Stadium, the Organising Committee of AFC Asian Cup (OCAC) has praised the exceptional stage provided for Asia’s players and teams to showcase their best ever performance.

Chaired by Mariano V. Araneta, Jr., the members of the OCAC were provided with a comprehensive update on the key milestones and breakthrough achievements leading up to the tournament as well as the readiness of all the main operational components to deliver a true spectacle for all stakeholders.

Chairperson Mariano V. Araneta, Jr. said: “From an operational standpoint, it is clear that Asia is ready to celebrate our grandest ever edition of the AFC Asian Cup™ in history. The AFC President has declared Qatar 2023 as a tournament of ‘firsts’ and this outcome is a tribute to the high level of coordination and integration between the AFC and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ Local Organising Committee (LOC).

“From the launch of the slogan – Hayya Asia – to the introduction of the AFC eAsian Cup, the Semi Automated Offside Technology, Video Assistant Referee systems, enhanced Pre-match Ceremonies, and various Digitisation projects as part of the paperless policy, it is evident that the AFC and LOC are fully committed towards ensuring a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all those involved.

“The LOC’s meticulous attention to detail has been truly remarkable so, on behalf of the OCAC, I want to put on record our gratitude to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ LOC for their steadfast commitment to deliver a world-class showpiece.

“We have every faith that we will build on the proud legacy of the previous editions and, just as importantly, strengthen the foundations for future hosts to build on the exemplary standards set by the Qatar Football Association, the LOC and the Qatari authorities.”

In addition to the plethora of enhancements introduced at the 18^th edition of the AFC Asian Cup™ for the first time, members of the OCAC were also briefed on the new operational initiatives aimed at elevating the quality of organisation, coordination, and delivery of the 51 matches scheduled to take place from tomorrow to the Final on 10 February 2024.

These include the utilisation of digital tools to enhance the overall operational efficiency, a new Team Hotels and Training Sites pairing approach to reduce the distance travelled for participating teams, amongst a series of innovations introduced.

Bhubaneswar, January 10, 2024: Chennaiyin FC will be looking to earn a spot in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League 2 Group stages as they begin their Kalinga Super Cup 2024 campaign against Punjab FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Thursday.

The winner of the Kalinga Super Cup will not only add a trophy to their cabinet but will also get a spot in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League 2 Group stages.

Chennaiyin are present in Group C of the tournament alongside Mumbai City FC and Gokulam Kerala FC, in addition to Punjab FC and head coach Owen Coyle is set to lead the team to a successful campaign.

“We are looking forward to the Super Cup as it’s a great competition and obviously, we’re in a tough group with two fierce rivals from the ISL in Punjab and Mumbai. The team is certainly capable of performing far better than it has done recently, so, we’re excited for it and there should be a freshness about us in the tournament,” commented Coyle ahead of the match.

The Marina Machans finished the previous edition of the tournament in the group stages and will look to improve their performance to win the trophy this year with the likes of Rafael Crivellaro, Jordan Murray and Ninthoinganba Meetei in their ranks. Crivellaro (5) has given the most assists in the ongoing season of the Indian Super League, while the addition of Mobashir Rahman on loan has also increased the options for the Scotsman.

“Of course, I’d like to win the tournament. We’ve always been known for fighting out for competitions and we want to do the same. We certainly believe that we are capable of a big second half of the season and it starts with the Super Cup as we want to go and give a really good account of ourselves. You want to win every competition and if you don’t think you can win it, you shouldn’t enter the tournament. I believe if we’re at our best, we can stand toe to toe with the teams in this competition,” the head coach said.

Chennaiyin will step onto the field after a break as they are playing their first match in 2024 and Coyle asserted that a break is always helpful for the players to regain their fitness and strength.

He said, “The break is good as it gives us the match fitness & the sharpness and a really tough competition because of the quality of the teams we play. It will stand us in good stead for when we come back to play in ISL.”

Chennaiyin and Punjab share a closely contested head-to-head record in the two matches played between them so far, with each team winning one game.

The Marina Machans will face Gokulam Kerala FC on 

January 16 before taking on Mumbai City FC in their last Group C match on January 21.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) today announced the conclusion of extensive global broadcast agreements with TV-Broadcasting Rights Holders from Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, North America and the Caribbean ahead of the kick-off of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (“AFCON”) Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

The tournament will kick off in Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday 13 January 2024.

The global TV-Broadcast partners include Sky (United Kingdom), BBC (United Kingdom), LaLiga+ (Spain), SportItalia (Italy), Sport Digital (Germany & Switzerland), SportTV (Portugal), Viaplay (Nordics) and Band TV (Brazil).

beIN Sport, CANAL+, New World TV and approximately 45 Free To Air broadcasters have also concluded partnership agreements with CAF and this will result in the TotalEnergies AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 being broadcast in approximately 180 countries.

CAF received approximately 6000 Media applications for accreditation to the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 which is an increase of more than 100% from the previous AFCON which took place in Cameroon in 2022.

The significant increase in financial investment by TV-Broadcasting Rights Holders from Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, North America and the Caribbean will result in a substantial global increase in viewership of the TotalEnergies AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

CAF’s Broadcasting revenues will also increase significantly and this will assist with the development and growth of football in Africa.

The TotalEnergies AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 is expected to be the most competitive as all the prominent and successful African Football Nations will be competing in Côte d’Ivoire for the prestigious AFCON Cup.

Football from the African Continent made history at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 when Morocco qualified for the semi-finals and African National Teams are expected to continue achieving greater heights at future World Cup Competitions.

CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe said: “African Football and the TotalEnergies AFCON Competition is recognised as being amongst the most competitive and exciting in world football. We are delighted by the extensive global broadcast agreements concluded by CAF with the TV-Broadcasting Rights Holders. Huge investments are being made in youth football, including schools football, professional leagues, training of coaches and referees, as well as the building and upgrading of football infrastructure in Africa. This is contributing enormously to the quality of African football being globally competitive and as good as the best in the world. CAF is committed to working together and assisting the Media during the TotalEnergies AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 and at all future CAF competitions and events.”

The global TV-broadcast agreements that CAF has concluded includes:

1.        SKY (UK)

2.        BBC (UK)

3.        BBC Radio (Africa)

4.        Band TV (Brazil)

5.        La Liga+ (Spain)

6.        Ziggo (Netherlands)

7.        Viaplay (Nordics)

8.        Sport Digital (Germany & Switzerland)

9.        Sport Klub (Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia)

10.   SportItalia (Italy)

11.   SportTV (Portugal)

12.   Fancode (India)

13.   Saran (Turkey)

14.   Sport 5 (Israel)

15.   A1 (Bulgaria)

16.   Art Motion (Kosovo)

17.   JOYN PLUS 24 (Austria)

18.   Megogo (Ukraine, Poland and Kazakhstan)

19.   RFi (France)

20.   RMC radio (France)

21.   Silknet (Georgia)

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (“COCAN” will introduce the Main Media Centre (“MMC”) concept in Abidjan as the main ‘nerve’ centre for media services during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Côte d’Ivoire 2023. 

The Main Media Centre will be at Palais de la Culture de Treichville in Abidjan.  It will officially open its doors on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 – three days before the opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Côte d’Ivoire 2023. 

The MMC, which is being introduced at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON for the first time in its 67-year history, is strategically located in the heart of Abidjan and designed to provide the media including photographers and broadcasters with a unique working environment.

All pre-match press conferences (Match day -1) for both matches in Alassane Ouattara (Ebimpe) and Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium will be held at the Main Media Centre.

This will include all non-match day media events, press conferences. Media in Abidjan will also be able to follow press conferences from other venues at the Main Media Centre daily.

This is yet another way of CAF and COCAN to make work easy for more than 3 000 media that have been accredited for the competition.  The Main Media Centre can accommodate over 500 media and has as press conference facility.

CAF General Secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba said: “Media plays an important role in making the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations a success. It is important for CAF to introduce the best possible conditions for media to do it’s work. The Main Media Centre will centralize media events and services. This means media do not need to travel between the two venues for pre-match media conferences.”

Operational Hours: 10h00 – 23h30 Daily

Key Features of the MMC: 

Centralized Approach: The MMC represents a centralized approach to media coverage, bringing together journalists, broadcasters, and photographers in one dedicated space. 

Photographers Section: A dedicated area with two rows exclusively for photographers, recognizing the crucial role of visual storytelling in sports journalism. 

Agencies Space: An exclusive space designated for media agencies. 

Media Café: A dedicated catering area for media professionals to ensure a comfortable working environment. 

 Press Conferences: All Matchday-1 press conferences for teams, as well as other CAF press conferences and media briefings, will take place at the MMC. 

Broadcast Hub: MMC serves as the central hub for broadcasting, with live feeds from all matches delivered to the facility. Even non-approved media for Match Telecasts can watch matches at MMC. 

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today confirmed the cast of match officials that will oversee the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, which will take place on Friday at the breathtaking Lusail Stadium.

Widely regarded as one of the most established Asian match officials, Alireza Faghani has been appointed to officiate the highly-anticipated Group A fixture between defending champions Qatar and Lebanon, which will kick off at 7pm in the 88,000-capacity venue and officially get the 18th edition of Asia’s crown jewel underway.

The highly-experienced Iranian will be ably supported by an Australian duo of assistant referees Anton Shchetinin and Ashley Warwick Beecham, while Korea Republic pair Ko Hyung-jin and Yoon Jae-yeol are the fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively. Australian Evan Shaun Robert is the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), while compatriot Kate Jacewicz will become the first ever female official to be involved in an AFC Asian Cup™ match when she takes up her role as assistant VAR.

Faghani will take charge of his 13th AFC Asian Cup™ match in his fourth appearance at the showpiece, having officiated as fourth official for four matches on his debut in 2011, refereed five matches in 2015 – including the Final between Korea Republic and eventual winners Australia – and two in the 2019 edition.

The AFC Referee of the Year in 2016 and 2018, Faghani embarked on his refereeing journey in 1994 and became a FIFA referee in 2008. He has demonstrated his prowess on the biggest stages in world football – a support referee at the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, Faghani was the man in the middle for four matches at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, including the third-place play-off between Belgium and England, before officiating two matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Faghani has also refereed at the 2013 and 2015 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, the 2016 Olympic Games Men’s football tournament, including the gold-medal match and the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017. At club level, he has taken charge of 66 AFC Champions League™ matches, including the 2014 Final.

This fixture will mark the debut of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) system at an AFC competition, making the AFC the first Confederation in world football to apply the system at the Continental Men’s national team level. The SAOT system will complement the VAR system, which makes its full debut and will be implemented for all 51 matches.

As the attention of world football descends upon Doha for a record third time in the history of the AFC Asian Cup™, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has conveyed his best wishes to Asia’s top 24 teams and applauded the spirit of innovation and resilience exemplified by the Asian football family.

Ahead of Friday’s opener between defending champions Qatar and Lebanon at the iconic Lusail Stadium, Shaikh Salman said: “I know our teams, players and the hundreds of millions of passionate fans across the globe have been waiting eagerly and we are now in touching distance of hosting our best-ever men’s showpiece in Asian football history.

“On behalf of the AFC, I would like to wish our teams, players and officials the very best of success and I am confident that we will witness inspiring performances that will showcase the immeasurable progress of Asian football.”

Shaikh Salman took the opportunity to reflect on the exceptional journey undertaken since Qatar was appointed as the host in October 2022 and underlined his confidence in the immaculate capabilities of the Qatar Football Association and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ Local Organising Committee.

The AFC President added: “We are all aware that this is the shortest ever runway that we have had to organise the pinnacle stage of Asian men’s football. But in another remarkable display of Asian football unity, we have shown the world that we are ready to stage an exceptional tournament.

“And of course, so much of this has been made possible all thanks to our dear friends from the Qatar Football Association and the Local Organising Committee. Just over a year ago, Qatar hosted the greatest-ever edition of the FIFA World Cup and now the stage is set for the grandest ever AFC Asian Cup™ to date.”

Shaikh Salman was also quick to acknowledge the breakthrough innovations set to be introduced at Asia’s crown jewel with the AFC eAsian Cup scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 February, and the use of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems across all 51 matches for the first time.

He added: “From the moment Qatar was appointed as the host, we knew that this would be the first AFC Asian Cup™ to be held in FIFA World Cup venues. We also appointed our women’s match officials to the Continent’s most prestigious men’s tournament for the first time.

“And now, with the introduction of the SAOT and full debut of the VAR systems, along with the inaugural AFC eAsian Cup, I am delighted to declare that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ will truly be a tournament of ‘firsts.’

“These enhancements further underline the AFC’s desire to enhance our flagship competitions with each passing edition and bring to life our Vision of providing a world-class stage for our players, teams and officials.”

The AFC President concluded: “At the same time, we are anchored on our Mission to excite and engage with more fans than ever before, and I am confident that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ will be remembered as Asian football’s finest hour.”

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), the leading sports broadcaster in the Indian subcontinent, has announced the extension of the exclusive broadcast rights for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka for five years. The terms of the agreement include exclusive television and digital media rights for a wide range of UFC events through 2028. 

The premier promotion for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) worldwide, UFC caters to a massive global audience. UFC is renowned for its top-class fights along with talented fighters and is a dream platform for fighters across the world to showcase their MMA skills. UFC features many of the world’s greatest fighters, including Israel Adesanya, Leon Edwards, Jon Jones, Islam Makhachev, Sean O’Malley, Alex Pereira, and Alexander Volkanovski. Some of the best up-and-coming fighters in UFC are coming out of Eurasia, which has a rapidly expanding fan base for the sport. And with the UFC roster inclusion of Anshul Jubli, the first fighter from India to receive win a UFC contract via winning the tournament for Asia’s best MMA prospects, ROAD TO UFC, and Puja Tomar, the first India-born female fighter, the timing could not have been better to make headway in the Indian subcontinent.  

Effective January 1, 2024, the agreement solidifies SPNI’s commitment to delivering premium UFC content to fans across the region on Sony Sports Network and SonyLiv. The comprehensive rights package includes exclusive coverage of 42 UFC LIVE events, encompassing 12 Pay-Per-View (PPV) and 30 Fight Night events each year featuring both Main Card and Preliminary bouts, along with additional content that includes UFC Countdown, UFC Connected, a variety of archive content, and Dana White’s Contender Series, a 10-episode live fight series which features up-and-coming talent trying to secure a contract with UFC .  

In addition to live events, Sony Sports Network will continue to broadcast live in Asia prime time the ground-breaking “win and advance” tournament for Asia’s top MMA prospects, ROAD TO UFC. Sony Sports Network will also have access to archive content that will further enable them to engage audiences with the rich history of the sport. 

Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India:  

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with UFC for five more years. Sony Sports Network is the go-to destination for MMA fans in the Indian subcontinent. We have also seen the inclusion of ‘The King of Lions’ aka Anshul Jubli along with Puja Tomar in 2023 has raised interest for UFC in India. Our partnership extension with UFC allows us to continue the exclusive coverage of live UFC events in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu along with an expansive portfolio programming to engage our viewers.”

Kevin Chang, SVP and Head of Asia, UFC: 

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Sony Sports Network, which will remain the home for UFC in India. Sony Sports Network has been a valuable and trusted partner, helping to expand the UFC brand in many ways, from their ‘Ultimate Guide to UFC’ show, to their media and social promotions. We’re excited to extend our partnership and ushering in the next generation of Indian talent.” 

Watch the LIVE coverage of UFC on Sony Sports Ten 1 (English), Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi) & Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels