Doha, 28 December 2023 - Director of Marketing and Communications at Qatar Football Association (QFA) Khalid Mubarak Al Kuwari announced on Thursday the launch date of the marketing and media plan to support Qatar National Team in the AFC Asian Cup, which will be hosted by the State of Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 with the participation of 24 teams.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Khalid Al Kuwari said that everyone is a partner in supporting the national team in the Asian Cup, adding that on Jan 1, they will begin promoting the team's matches through the Association's social media accounts. He also called on the national team's loyal supporters to buy tickets for Qatar's matches and support it in the continental tournament.
He added that a special song has been produced for the national team in cooperation with Qatar Radio. The Seashore Group will also provide a special and distinctive collection of flags and scarves for fans, he said; stressing his confidence in the support of the loyal fans who will be on time to back the national team, as they have done previously.
He said that social media platforms represent the pulse of the sports street, and they appreciate the support for the national team through both official and personal accounts. He added that they seek to constantly renew the content they present on the Association's accounts, explaining that during the Asian Cup, they will present a new and different approach in a new and modern style directed at football fans of all segments to ensure communication with everyone and provide content worthy of the national team and its fans.
In this regard, Al Kuwari said that they held numerous coordination meetings with various government agencies, and everyone, without exception, will be supportive of Qatar National Team in the Asian Cup.
The Director of Marketing and Communications at QFA expressed appreciation for the efforts of all sponsors and main partners of the Association and the supporters of the national team from various entities, companies and institutions.
He also stressed the importance of the "Friends of the Association in Schools" project, which is one of the most important projects implemented annually with the aim of enhancing the love of football and national teams among young people, and spreading positive values.
Al Kuwari said that the Football Associations support for youth initiatives stems from the social responsibility that the Association emphasized through many of the programs it adopts in order to enhance the concept of communication with society and support the practice of sports in general and football in particular.
He pointed out that the Association builds bridges of communication with many community institutions through community programs, which are the Association's top priorities. Every season, more than one program is implemented with civil society institutions, which ensures that football is linked to various segments, he added.
Al Kuwari concluded his statements to QNA by saying that the local media is an essential partner of the Association and is always supportive of it, adding that their focus is currently on the Asian Cup, after which they will focus on the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the AFC U-23 Cup, which Doha will host next March.
The Qatari team, the defending champion and host, will begin the tournament on January 12, facing Lebanon in the first group, which also includes China and Tajikistan. The second group will include Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria and India. The third group will consist of Iran, the UAE, Hong Kong, and Palestine. The fourth group will include Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, and Vietnam. The fifth group will consist of South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, and Bahrain. The sixth group will include Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, and Oman According to the tournament's system, with 24 teams participating for the second time after the 2019 edition, the first and runner-up from each group will qualify for the next round, in addition to the best 4 teams that achieved third place in the groups.
