Simultaneous championships

In 2024 we are expecting to hear 4 team champions. And after all the available (free) days this month, the first 2 competitions happens to be with similar dates and its matches would overlap with one another.

From next weekend the football world will be focused on 2 neighbouring continents where (officially) its two major events are going to have an old number after the names. At each of the 2, 24 best teams would participate at every confederation after they went though long qualifiers just to get here and be noted on the final showdown. Usually the following tournaments are being played on the summer period, but because of weather conditions (at both 2 hosts) these ones have been transferred to the winter season.

According to the schedule, Asian Cup 2023 (2024) will start first. Within 12 January and 10 February 51 duels are going to be played at 9 stadia which are situated in 5 cities. Because the temperatures in Qatar at June / July are very high, the edition number 18 will be played in January / February period. For the first time Tajikistan is going to appear in the finals. Literally on the last 3 days / nights (weekend) of next week 14 teams would be introduced to the public.

12 January, Friday at 17.00 CEt: Qatar - Lebanon.

13 January, Saturday at 12.30 CEt: Australia - India.

13 January, Saturday at 15.30 CEt: People's Republic of China - Tajikistan.

13 January, Saturday at 18.30 CEt: Uzbekistan - Syria.

14 January, Sunday at 12.30 CEt: Japan - Vietnam.

14 January, Sunday at 15.30 CEt: United Arab Emirates - Hong Kong.

14 January, Sunday at 18.30 CEt: Islamic Republic of Iran - Palestine.

Just 27 hours later from (the official start of) the predecessor at Ivory coast will commence the Africa Cup of nations 2023 (2024). Edition number 34 is going to be spread in 5 towns and 6 stadia across the country. Here, we have a totally different weather climate: on summer where is heavy rain so that is why this will be staged from 13 January to 11 February. It is interesting to mention that no team is going to make a debut in these finals and has not been like that since 1984. Kickoffs and the layout for the first 4 games are:

13 January, Saturday at 21.00 CEt: Ivory coast - Guinea-Bissau.

14 January, Sunday at 15.00 CEt: Nigeria - Equatorial Guinea.

14 January, Sunday at 18.00 CEt: Egypt - Mozambique.

14 January, Sunday at 21.00 CEt: Ghana - Cape Verde.