Qatar to host 22-team Arab Cup in December 2021

Doha: Qatar will host an Arab Cup tournament, featuring 22 teams in December 2021, FIFA has confirmed. 

Football's governing body said Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen would compete in the showpiece event. "Through football, this tournament will unite over 450 million people from across the region, and we are confident that the FIFA Arab Cup will help to build excitement across the region as we edge ever nearer to hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world in 2022," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an official statement.

Qatar is set to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the Arab Cup may act as a dress rehearsal for the marquee event.

In the Arab Cup, the 16 teams that take part in the final stage will be split into four groups, with the top two from each qualifying for the quarter-finals. A total of 32 matches will be held over 18 days from December 1 to December 18.