In the presence of 82,490 fans… Qatar opens the 2023 Asian Cup with an amazing ceremony that celebrates the convergence of cultures and the meeting of peoples

Yesterday evening, Lusail Stadium witnessed the opening ceremony of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 and the starting whistle for the opening match that brought together the defending champion Qatar and the representative of the host country with the Lebanese national team, which ended with Qatar winning by three clean goals in front of 82,490 fans, with the highest crowd attendance officially recorded in the opening match. In the history of the Asian Championship.

The dazzling ceremony was distinguished by artistic and cultural performances, live performances about the most important Asian literary legacies, and story chapters that drew inspiration from the multiple and rich cultures of the countries participating in the tournament. The opening show of the tournament, entitled “The Lost Chapter of Kalila and Dimna,” celebrated the convergence of cultures and the meeting of peoples across the Asian continent, with unique musical compositions, superior technological designs, and wonderful costumes inspired by diverse cultures.

Along the road leading to Lusail Stadium and the area surrounding the iconic sports edifice, fans enjoyed a variety of cultural events and activities held to celebrate the launch of the most important sporting event in Asia. With the start of the opening ceremony of the tournament, the attention of fans turned to the stands and across screens around the world to watch a wonderful show inspired by an epic tale that is considered one of the most prominent literary works on the continent.

His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, Chairman of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Organizing Committee, stressed that the opening of the tournament constitutes another milestone in the history of sports in Qatar, expressing his pride in welcoming fans from all over the continent to the State of Qatar, in an edition that will be the most distinguished in the history of sports in Qatar. The Asian Cup so far, with modern sports infrastructure, and the close distances that characterize the country ensure that fans and players alike enjoy an exceptional experience in the history of the continental tournament.

He added: “Hosting a tournament of this size is not limited to holding a high-level event in the sport of football, but rather embodies on the ground the true meaning of cultural exchange, as we saw at the opening ceremony, which makes this forum a prestigious event on the continent level. With the launch of the tournament of the Asian Championships, Qatar reaffirms that it is the capital of global sports, and we look forward to a month that will remain long in the memory with exciting matches and an unprecedented experience for fans.”

Qatar is hosting the Asian Cup for the third time in its history, achieving a record in hosting the Asian Football Festival, after successfully hosting the tournament twice before, in 1988 and 2011. 24 of the best teams in Asia will compete in the tournament on their way to winning the title of the most famous tournament on the continent, which will witness 51 matches held in nine stadiums built according to the latest specifications. The Asian sporting event will conclude with the final on February 10.

It is noteworthy that seven of the nine stadiums hosting the Asian Cup Qatar 2023 competitions witnessed matches in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in a first of its kind in the history of the Asian tournament. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to attend more than one match per day, thanks to the close distances that characterize the country, as the longest distance between two tournament stadiums is 75 kilometers.

His Excellency Sheikh Hamad continued: “The 2023 Asian Cup comes as a direct legacy after hosting the World Cup about a year ago, which will bring a lot of benefit to Qatar and future generations. The stadiums, modern training fields, and advanced transportation infrastructure that were used in the 2022 World Cup will be used in the continental tournament, as well as in major sporting events hosted by the country in the future.”

Five of the nine stadiums that will witness the tournament matches can be reached directly via Doha Metro stations, while the remaining four stadiums will be connected by a free bus service from the nearest metro station. All match tickets are available in the form of digital copies that can be downloaded and presented on any mobile device. The Haya card is not mandatory for fans to enter the stadiums.

Source: Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy

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