Qatar will host the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 starting on Tuesday, just a year before the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East.
Tunisia will face Mauritania in the tournament’s first encounter, while Iraq, the competition’s most successful team with four titles, will face Oman in the second match.
In the other matches on Tuesday, Qatar will face Bahrain and the UAE will face Syria.
Hosts Qatar will play Bahrain and the UAE will take on Syria in the other matches on Tuesday.
A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups, are taking part in the FIFA Arab cup 2021.
Group A: Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain
Group B: Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Mauritania
Group C: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine
Group D: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan
Each club competes in three group matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals on December 10 and 11.
The semi-finals will be held on December 18, Qatar’s national day and the final will be held on December 18.
Six stadiums around the country will host the competition.
Four of the venues have already held matches, while Ras Abu Aboud Stadium in Doha’s capital and Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor’s northern city will be inaugurated on the tournament’s first day.
Morocco ($239 million), Algeria ($195 million), and Tunisia ($36 million) are the most valuable Arab national teams, according to the football website Transfermarkt.
Mohamed Salah, a 29-year-old Egyptian who plays for Liverpool, is the most valuable player in terms of trade value. His market value is estimated to be $113 million.
Achraf Hakimi (PSG) of Morocco and Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) of Algeria are both valued at $79 million and $47 million, respectively.
The average age of the players is 27. Moataz Yaseen of Jordan is the oldest player at 39 years old, while Sami Tlemcani of Morocco is the youngest at 17 years old.
