Sixteen teams will contest the final rounds of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 – the six winners and runners-up of the qualifying round groups, and the host associations Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament from 7 to 29 July 2007 is conducted in two steps with a round-robin group stage and a knockout stage.
GROUP STAGE
The 16 finalists have been seeded and divided into four groups of four teams. Each team plays each of the other teams in the same group according to a league system (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a defeat). The winners and runners-up in each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
KNOCKOUT STAGE
Quarter-finals
The winners of each of the four groups will meet a runner-up from another group in the quarter-finals. All four quarter-finals will take place over one match with the winner progressing to the semi-finals. If the score is tied at the end of the regulation playing time, an extra two periods of 15 minutes each will be played. If the score is still level after extra time, the winners will be determined by kicks from the penalty mark.
Semi-finals
The four winners of the quarter-finals play the semi-finals over one match with the winners progressing to the final. As with the quarter-finals, extra-time and penalties will be utilised in the event of a draw between two sides.
Final
The winners of the semi-finals play in the final to determine the AFC Asian Cup 2007 champions. As with the quarter-finals and semi-finals, extra-time and penalties will be utilised in the event of a draw between the two sides.
July 7
Thailand v Iraq (Group A), Bangkok
July 8
Australia v Oman (Group A), Bangkok
Vietnam v United Arab Emirates (Group B), Hanoi
July 9
Japan v Qatar (Group B), Hanoi
July 10
Malaysia v China (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Indonesia v Bahrain (Group D), Jakarta
July 11
Iran v Uzbekistan (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Korea Republic v Saudi Arabia (Group D), Jakarta
July 12
Oman v Thailand (Group A), Bangkok
Qatar v Vietnam (Group B), Hanoi
July 13
Iraq v Australia (Group A), Bangkok
United Arab Emirates v Japan (Group B), Hanoi
July 14
Uzbekistan v Malaysia (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Saudi Arabia v Indonesia (Group D), Jakarta
July 15
China v Iran (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Bahrain v Korea Republic (Group D), Jakarta
July 16
Thailand v Australia (Group A), Bangkok
Oman v Iraq (Group A), Bangkok
Vietnam v Japan (Group B), Hanoi
Qatar v United Arab Emirates (Group B), Hanoi
July 18
Malaysia v Iran (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Uzbekistan v China (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Indonesia v Korea Republic (Group D), Jakarta
Saudi Arabia v Bahrain (Group D), Jakarta
July 21
Quarter-final 1 (winner Group A v runner-up Group B), Bangkok
Quarter-final 3 (winner Group B v runner-up Group A), Hanoi
July 22
Quarter-final 2 (winner Group C v runner-up Group D), Kuala Lumpur
Quarter-final 4 (winner Group D v runner-up Group C), Jakarta
July 25
Semi-final 1 (winner Quarter-final 1 v winner Quarter-final 2), Kuala Lumpur or Hanoi
Semi-final 2 (winner Quarter-final 3 v winner Quarter-final 4), Hanoi or Kuala Lumpur
July 28
3rd/4th playoff (loser Semi-final 1 v loser Semi-final 2), TBA
July 29
Final (winner Semi-final 1 v winner Semi-final 2), Jakarta
From its humble beginnings in 1956, the AFC Asian Cup has developed into the continent’s premier football tournament, bringing together the top national teams from the length and breadth of Asia to compete for one of international football’s most sought-after prizes every four years.
The tournament had it roots in the formation of the Asian Football Confederation in Manila in 1954. The 12 founder members of the AFC sought to shape the development of the game in Asia and one of the keys to achieving that aim was the organisation of a regional competition for the continent's international teams. Just two years later, the first ever Asian Cup was staged in Hong Kong with seven of the 12 affiliated national associations vying for the title of Asia's best football team.
1956 Korea Republic (in Hong Kong)
1960 Korea Republic (in South Korea)
1964 Israel (in Israel)
1968 Iran (in Iran)
1972 Iran (in Thailand)
1976 Iran (in Iran)
1980 Kuwait (in Kuwait)
1984 Saudi Arabia (in Singapore)
1988 Saudi Arabia (in Qatar)
1992 Japan (in Japan)
1996 Saudi Arabia (in United Arab Emirates)
2000 Japan (in Lebanon)
2004 Japan (in China)
More history and statistics at the Asian Cup 2007 website.
GROUP STAGE
The 16 finalists have been seeded and divided into four groups of four teams. Each team plays each of the other teams in the same group according to a league system (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a defeat). The winners and runners-up in each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
KNOCKOUT STAGE
Quarter-finals
The winners of each of the four groups will meet a runner-up from another group in the quarter-finals. All four quarter-finals will take place over one match with the winner progressing to the semi-finals. If the score is tied at the end of the regulation playing time, an extra two periods of 15 minutes each will be played. If the score is still level after extra time, the winners will be determined by kicks from the penalty mark.
Semi-finals
The four winners of the quarter-finals play the semi-finals over one match with the winners progressing to the final. As with the quarter-finals, extra-time and penalties will be utilised in the event of a draw between two sides.
Final
The winners of the semi-finals play in the final to determine the AFC Asian Cup 2007 champions. As with the quarter-finals and semi-finals, extra-time and penalties will be utilised in the event of a draw between the two sides.
July 7
Thailand v Iraq (Group A), Bangkok
July 8
Australia v Oman (Group A), Bangkok
Vietnam v United Arab Emirates (Group B), Hanoi
July 9
Japan v Qatar (Group B), Hanoi
July 10
Malaysia v China (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Indonesia v Bahrain (Group D), Jakarta
July 11
Iran v Uzbekistan (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Korea Republic v Saudi Arabia (Group D), Jakarta
July 12
Oman v Thailand (Group A), Bangkok
Qatar v Vietnam (Group B), Hanoi
July 13
Iraq v Australia (Group A), Bangkok
United Arab Emirates v Japan (Group B), Hanoi
July 14
Uzbekistan v Malaysia (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Saudi Arabia v Indonesia (Group D), Jakarta
July 15
China v Iran (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Bahrain v Korea Republic (Group D), Jakarta
July 16
Thailand v Australia (Group A), Bangkok
Oman v Iraq (Group A), Bangkok
Vietnam v Japan (Group B), Hanoi
Qatar v United Arab Emirates (Group B), Hanoi
July 18
Malaysia v Iran (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Uzbekistan v China (Group C), Kuala Lumpur
Indonesia v Korea Republic (Group D), Jakarta
Saudi Arabia v Bahrain (Group D), Jakarta
July 21
Quarter-final 1 (winner Group A v runner-up Group B), Bangkok
Quarter-final 3 (winner Group B v runner-up Group A), Hanoi
July 22
Quarter-final 2 (winner Group C v runner-up Group D), Kuala Lumpur
Quarter-final 4 (winner Group D v runner-up Group C), Jakarta
July 25
Semi-final 1 (winner Quarter-final 1 v winner Quarter-final 2), Kuala Lumpur or Hanoi
Semi-final 2 (winner Quarter-final 3 v winner Quarter-final 4), Hanoi or Kuala Lumpur
July 28
3rd/4th playoff (loser Semi-final 1 v loser Semi-final 2), TBA
July 29
Final (winner Semi-final 1 v winner Semi-final 2), Jakarta
From its humble beginnings in 1956, the AFC Asian Cup has developed into the continent’s premier football tournament, bringing together the top national teams from the length and breadth of Asia to compete for one of international football’s most sought-after prizes every four years.
The tournament had it roots in the formation of the Asian Football Confederation in Manila in 1954. The 12 founder members of the AFC sought to shape the development of the game in Asia and one of the keys to achieving that aim was the organisation of a regional competition for the continent's international teams. Just two years later, the first ever Asian Cup was staged in Hong Kong with seven of the 12 affiliated national associations vying for the title of Asia's best football team.
1956 Korea Republic (in Hong Kong)
1960 Korea Republic (in South Korea)
1964 Israel (in Israel)
1968 Iran (in Iran)
1972 Iran (in Thailand)
1976 Iran (in Iran)
1980 Kuwait (in Kuwait)
1984 Saudi Arabia (in Singapore)
1988 Saudi Arabia (in Qatar)
1992 Japan (in Japan)
1996 Saudi Arabia (in United Arab Emirates)
2000 Japan (in Lebanon)
2004 Japan (in China)
More history and statistics at the Asian Cup 2007 website.