Football Fever: Qataris Accord Warm Welcome to 'Asian Cup'

by Alexis Castelino
Daijiworld Media Network - Doha

Doha, Jan 3: Qatar is all set to host the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup 2011 from Friday January 7 to January 29. 

The AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam and Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed al-Thani received the trophy at the Tarmac and then the trophy was placed on an open bus for the city tour starting at 10.15 am.

The trophy was taken to the countdown clock area along the Corniche where Qatari folk performance greeted the delegates. More than 1000 people gathered to welcome the trophy.

After an hour’s stopover, the trophy was taken to the City Centre Mall where Indian artistes from MES Indian School staged a traditional culture dances. The trophy and the entourage will then travel from City Centre to Villaggio at 3 pm. where a Jordanian group will present a programme. The trophy’s final destination will be the Cup Museum before it is handed back to AFC.

The 16-team AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 begins on January 7 with the hosts taking on Group A rivals Uzbekistan in the opening match at the Khalifa stadium. The final will be on January 29.

Football fans from 33 countries who wish to watch the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 matches can obtain visa on arrival at the Doha International Airport, the AFC

The opening match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup 2011 is between hosts Qatar and Uzbekistan on January 7 and it will be dedicated to United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) global campaign against hunger, organizers said in a statement yesterday.

Asian Football against Hunger solidarity is urging football fans to sign an online petition calling on governments to give priority to fight hunger and mobilize donations for FAO’s Telefood community-level food production projects. The ‘1 Billion hungry Project’ is a global outreach initiative of the FAO and its partners which has garnered over 3.2mn signatures.

The match day against hunger is planned for players and fans to deliver the noble message of mobilizing resources and help FAO “win this cause for the most basic right of food” using the appeal and reach of football.

India will be playing with Australia on Monday Jan 10 at Al-sadd stadium

Teams

Group-A= Qatar, China, Kuwait, Uzbekistan
Group- B =Japan,Jorda,,Saudi Arabia,Syria
Group –C= Australia,Baharain,India,Korean Republic
Group-D= Iran,Iraq,Korea DPR,UAE