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The Asian Cup is football’s second oldest continental championship and the 18th edition – which gets underway in Qatar on 12 January 2024 – will see the continent’s best football nations go head-to-head to be crowned this year’s Asian champions.

Who are the main contenders? Which team could spring a surprise? What can be expected? Mani Djazmi is joined by Asian football journalist Michael Church, Japanese sports journalist Kumi Kinohara and Â鶹Éç Persian Service’s Iran reporter Pooria Jafereh to preview the tournament.

Also hear from South Korea’s manager Jurgen Klinsmann, Palestine’s midfielder Mohammed Rashid, India’s goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and tournament debutants Tajikistan’s Amirbek Juraboev.

Image: Qatari footballer Hassan al-Haydos carries the Asian Cup trophy during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)