Qatar will host the second edition of the Arab Cup 2025 from December 1 to December 18.

In a historic first, the FIFA has announced its full official supervision of the 2025 Arab Cup of Nations, making it the first edition to be held entirely under its umbrella as part of the official international calendar. This recognition means national teams will participate with their first-choice squads, without restrictions from clubs.

International referees will also be appointed under FIFA’s Referees Committee, with global live broadcasts and official coverage via FIFA channels and digital platforms.

Participating Teams

A total of 16 teams from Asia and Africa will compete.

• Automatically qualified: Qatar (host) and Algeria (defending champions).

• Already qualified based on FIFA rankings: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE.

• The remaining seven slots will be decided through single-leg qualifiers in November in Qatar.

Groups

• Group A: Qatar, Tunisia, Syria or South Sudan, Libya or Palestine.

• Group B: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman or Somalia, Yemen or Comoros.

• Group C: Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Kuwait or Mauritania.

• Group D: Algeria, Iraq, Bahrain or Djibouti, Lebanon or Sudan.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final). The final will be played at Lusail Stadium on December 18.

Prize Money

The local organizing committee announced a record prize pool exceeding $36.5 million for the tournament.

Venues

Six stadiums— all of which hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup 2022— will stage the games.

• Opening match: Al Bayt Stadium.

• Final: Lusail Stadium (as in the 2022 World Cup).

Qualification Playoffs

• Oman vs. Somalia

• Bahrain vs. Djibouti

• Syria vs. South Sudan

• Yemen vs. Comoros

• Lebanon vs. Sudan

• Palestine vs. Libya

• Kuwait vs. Mauritania

Schedule of Playoffs

FIFA has confirmed that the qualifying matches will be played as single-leg ties in Doha on November 25–26, 2025.