Jassim Abdulaziz al-Jassim, CEO of the Organising Committee for Football Competitions, revealed that the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 will take place across six World Cup stadiums: Al Bayt Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, 974 Stadium and Education City Stadium.
In a press conference, al-Jassim confirmed that the opening match will be held at Al Bayt Stadium on December 1, 2025, while Lusail Stadium will host the final on December 18, 2025.
The CEO explained that the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 is expected to draw large crowds, given the strong participation of Arab teams who are keen to field their best players. This interest is especially high since the tournament will take place at a favorable time, with many leagues pausing mid-season.
Al-Jassim also emphasised that holding the final match of the Arab Cup on December 18 will not conflict with the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins three days later in Morocco. He clarified that, while some teams' matches will be scheduled several days after the African Cup's opening match, this will not affect the host nation, Morocco. He also mentioned that discussions have already taken place with the Moroccan Football Federation regarding the Africa Cup's timing.
He highlighted that the decision to use the six stadiums that previously hosted the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was made in anticipation of large crowds. The smallest stadium to host Arab Cup matches will have a capacity of 40,000 spectators, following Qatar’s record attendance of 1.5 million at the 2023 Asian Cup.
Al-Jassim added that the Arab Cup Organising Committee is finalising plans for a major promotional campaign and is considering a proposal for the trophy to tour several Arab cities next November. He further noted that the tournament would be a significant Arab gathering, which is one of its key benefits. The atmosphere is expected to be similar to that of the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup, with November and December’s weather providing ideal conditions for fans to enjoy the accompanying events.
The CEO also mentioned that they are in talks with FIFA to finalise the date for the next edition of the Arab Cup, which will also be hosted in Qatar in 2029.
Al-Jassim also spoke about the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup, which Qatar will host from November 3 to 27. He confirmed that the tournament matches will be held at the Aspire Academy stadiums, while the final will take place at Khalifa International Stadium.
Jassim Abdulaziz al-Jassim, CEO of the Organising Committee for Football Competitions.
