Japan come from behind in helter skelter first half to beat Vietnam
January 14 – Tournament favourites Japan overcame a scare and a half of topsy-turvy football to defeat Vietnam 4-2 with a brace from Takumi Minamino.
Iran play down favourites role ahead of emotional opener against Palestine
January 13 – Three-time Asian champions Iran have downplayed their heavyweight status ahead of their Group C opener against Palestine, arguing that “every game will be a final”.
Uzbeks fluff their opening lines as Syria secure vital point
January 13 – Syria opened their Asian Cup account with a point following a goalless draw against a toothless Uzbekistan to throw Group B wide open and cast doubts over the Central Asians’ credentials.
Tajikistan draw with China on their Asian Cup debut
January 13 – China and Tajikistan drew their opening match 0-0 in the Abdullah bin Khalifa stadium in Doha Group A after a late goal by China was ruled out for offside.
Aussies take charge of Group B with winning start against India
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
January 13 – Australia laboured to a 2-0 victory against India with second-half goals from Jackson Irvine and Jordan Bos in their opening match of the Asian Cup to take command of Group B, but will need to improve to leave a mark on the tournament.
Newcastle United report £70m revenue jump but losses of £73m
January 12 – Newcastle United have reported a loss after tax of £73.4 million for the 12 months ending 30 June 2023, on revenues of £250.3 million, an increase from £180 million the previous year.
Fifpro survey finds stadium security needs improvement
January 12 – Security in stadiums must be improved and sanctions strengthened to deter physical and verbal abuse of footballers, according to a survey by the players’ union Fifpro.
AFCON set for weekend kick-off with hosts Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau
January 12 – Just as the Asian Cup kicks off in Qatar, so Africa’s showpiece event, the African Cup of Nations, gets under way on Saturday in the Ivory Coast which has invested at least $1 billion on hosting the tournament having built four new stadiums while renovating two others.
FIFA database names and shames clubs banned from signing new players
January 12 – FIFA has published a new database of clubs serving bans on registering new players.
Transfer talk: Chelsea target Brighton’s Ferguson, Ten Hag wants more help from Ajax
January 12 – Chelsea are reportedly interested in Brighton’s 19-year-old Irish striker Evan Ferguson (pictured) as the blues continue their search for a long-term striker.
Qatar open Asian Cup with stylish 3-0 win over Lebanon
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
January 12 – Hosts Qatar kicked off their own party at the Asian Cup with a 3-0 victory over Lebanon with goalscorers Akram Afif and Almoez Ali once again proving their value to the defending champions.
End Malaria campaign harnesses AFCON to boost awareness
January 12- The RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Zero Malaria F.C. have combined for a campaign driven by football legends and music stars to increase malaria awareness and urge greater action against the deadly disease.
Australia and India start open Group B with both aiming for deep runs into knockout phase
January 12 – India and Australia kick off their Asian Cup campaign on Saturday (January 13) seeking to establish themselves firmly as a part of their regional football firmament.
Benfica’s €500m academy sales business tops world ranking
January 12 – The latest report from the CIES football observatory has ranked Liga Portugal side Benfica as the club with the most profitable academy in world football.
AFC renews its war on match-fixing with renewal of Sportradar integrity deal
January 12 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has extending its sports integrity partnership with Sportradar for a further three years through to 2027.