Tickets for the 2019 Asian Cup go on sale on Monday, as the UAE prepares to host the tournament for only the second time in its history.
The event, the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) marquee competition, takes place from January 5 - February 1 and for the first time has been expanded from 16 teams to 24.
Eight stadiums have been selected to host the 51 matches across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain and Sharjah. The tournament represents the biggest football event to be staged in the Emirates, eclipsing the 12-team 1996 Asian Cup in which the UAE finished runner-up.
____________
Read more:
Iraq hopeful of having Sven-Goran Eriksson in charge for Asian Cup
Expanded Asian Cup UAE 2019 'a big advantage' to attract more fans
Saudi Arabia put World Cup 'positives' into preparation for Asian Cup
____________
Tickets are available from 12pm UAE time on Monday, and begin at Dh25 for the group stages. Tickets for the final, held at Zayed Sports City on February 1, start at Dh75 and rise to Dh300.
"The launch of ticket sales is an important milestone and the UAE is the perfect host nation to unite the Asian football family," said Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in a statement.
"I am confident that the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will provide the ultimate stage to showcase Asia’s remarkable talent and engage and excite more fans than ever before.
"In the [Local Organising Committee], we have a trusted partner who share our ambitions of 'Bringing Asia Together' and to deliver the most competitive and accessible AFC Asian Cup to date."
As hosts, the UAE kick off the tournament on January 5 against Bahrain in Abu Dhabi, with Thailand and India taking up the other two slots in Group A. Defending champions Australia contest Group B alongside Syria, Jordan and Palestine, while Saudi Arabia have been placed in Group E alongside Qatar, Lebanon and North Korea.
Tournament organisers say they do not envision any problems arising from the Qatari national team’s participation in the tournament.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic relations with Qatar in June 2017 over its support for extremist groups.
"Sport is not affected by politics," said Aref Al Awani, tournament director of the Local Organising Committee. "We are welcoming everybody from all the countries to come and attend and to participate in the tournament.
"The UAE, through high mission which represents peace, tolerance, happiness, and openness, welcomes all teams and all nationals of the Asian continent to attend and watch this big continental event.
"This great participation is a big focus for the Higher Local Committee as it reflects the potential of the UAE and its great capabilities in organising the biggest and most important global and continental sporting events.”
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cylinder%20turbo%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E680hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C020Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEarly%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh530%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
