Asian Cup Confirmed for Jan-Feb Slot in Qatar Next Year

The next edition of the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in 2024. (Getty Images)
The next edition of the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in 2024. (Getty Images)
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Asian Cup Confirmed for Jan-Feb Slot in Qatar Next Year

The next edition of the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in 2024. (Getty Images)
The next edition of the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in 2024. (Getty Images)

The next edition of the Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in 2024, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Wednesday.

The quadrennial continental championship was awarded to China in 2019 but the world's most populous country relinquished the rights this year as it pursued a zero-COVID policy.

Qatar, which hosted the men's World Cup finals last year, was then named the host after the Gulf state was preferred to bids from South Korea and Indonesia.

The 24-team tournament has been moved from mid-2023 to early 2024 to avoid the heat of the Gulf summer.

Qatar has staged the Asian Cup twice, in 1988 and 2011 and it won the last tournament in the United Arab Emirates in 2019.

The AFC said that the tournament will be staged across eight stadiums, six of which were used during the World Cup, where Argentina were winners.

The Asian Cup will coincide with the Africa Cup of Nations finals, which will run from Jan. 13-Feb. 11 in Ivory Coast.



Lewis Hamilton Paces Both F1 Practices on Opening Day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
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Lewis Hamilton Paces Both F1 Practices on Opening Day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton paced both of Thursday night's practices at the Las Vegas Grand Prix just two weeks after one of the worst races of his career.
The Mercedes driver was despondent over his performance in Brazil when he intimated after the race he wasn't even sure he wanted to finish the final three races of the season. Hamilton is moving to Ferrari at the end of the season.
“I didn’t really want to come back," Hamilton said in Las Vegas of his Brazil performance, where he struggled with the handling of his car, called it “undriveable” and “the bumpiest ride ever” after finishing 10th, The Associated Press said.
“If this is the last time that I get to perform, it’s a shame it wasn’t great, but (I’m) grateful for you,” Hamilton said on his team radio after the race.
Hamilton clarified those remarks in Las Vegas, explaining how frustrated he was by the Brazil performance.
“In the moment, that’s how I felt," he said. “I didn’t really want to come back after that weekend, but I think that’s only natural. It’s frustrating when you have a season like this, which I’m pretty sure I won’t have again, or at least I’ll work towards not having again. It wasn’t a great feeling in that moment but I’m here, I’m standing strong, and I’m going to give it absolutely everything for the last few races.”
He proved he can bounce back as he led both the first and second practice sessions Thursday in Las Vegas. He was followed in second practice by championship contender Lando Norris of McLaren and Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Max Verstappen, who only needs to finish three points ahead of Norris on Saturday night, was 17th in the second practice.
Hamilton and Russell went 1-2 in the opening practice, with Norris third. Verstappen was a more respectable fifth for Red Bull.