<p>The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/asian-cup-tv-schedule/">2023 Asian Cup</a> is currently experiencing record interest during the competition in Qatar. Tournament officials recently <a href="https://www.sportcal.com/media/asian-cup-breaks-attendance-records-ahead-of-quarter-finals/?cf-view&amp;cf-closed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> that attendance figures have already set a new record. 1.06 million fans entered stadium in the Middle Eastern nation during the round-robin stage and the round of 16. This was slightly higher than the previous record set in China back in 2004. </p>



<p>The record was aided by 63,753 fans packing Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on January 28th. The round of 16 match featured the host nation going up against Palestine. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/qatar-national-team-tv-schedule/">Qatar</a> eventually won the game 2-1 on the night, as they advanced to the quarterfinals.</p>



<p>“From the very beginning, we knew that the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 would take its place as the most accessible and engaging edition in the tournament’s history,” <a href="https://www.sportcal.com/media/asian-cup-breaks-attendance-records-ahead-of-quarter-finals/?cf-view&amp;cf-closed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proclaimed</a> AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John.</p>



<h2>Soccer fans outside of Asia are watching in record numbers</h2>



<p>The tournament, however, is not just breaking records inside the actual arenas. Additional reports are now claiming that the 2023 Asian Cup is also setting broadcasting records as well. A massive reason for this boost in viewership comes down to total reach.</p>



<p>This is the first iteration of the Asian Cup to be fully available in countries outside of Asia/Australia. This includes being broadcasted across Europe, the United States, South America, and Africa. In fact, the competition is now currently available to watch in more than 160 global territories. This is possible with the help of 60 media companies using over 120 of their television channels. </p>



<p>Not only are these competitive matches now available in new markets, but they are also free in many areas. Here in the States, however, Asian Cup games can be streamed via Paramount+. The streaming service currently has plans starting at $6 per month.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="800" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240203_WST_487302_imago1039977845h-1200x800_ee96a9ae.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=800" alt="" class="wp-image-487340" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1039977845h-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1039977845h-300x200.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1039977845h-768x512.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1039977845h-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1039977845h-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Iran have been one of the surprise packages in the 2023 Asian Cup, eliminating Japan at the quarter-final stage</figcaption></figure>



<p>“The preliminary eye-catching TV viewership figures reinforce the growing demand for AFC football and reiterates the world-class platform of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 for our players, teams and passionate fans alike,” <a href="https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_asian_cup/news/afc_asian_cup_qatar_2023_well_poised_to_smash_tv_viewership_records.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> John.</p>



<p>“In addition to a truly global audience outreach so far, we look forward towards working hand in hand with our valued media and broadcast partners as we strive to scale the volume of TV coverage and engage with the hundreds of millions of Asian football fans like never before.”</p>



<h2>Viewership also on the rise inside Asian nations</h2>



<p>Nevertheless, the increase in viewership is not solely down to foreign interest. <em><a href="https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/02/01/tv-viewers-switch-asian-cup-smashing-previous-records/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inside World Football</a></em> has reported that several Asian nations have increased their broadcasting reach of the tournament as well. Vietnam currently has a total television reach of over 200 million people. As a result, the country saw an 84% increase in viewership in the recent group stage.</p>



<p>South Korea, with help from tvN Sports, had 51% more viewers compared to the 2019 Asian Cup group stage. More than 65 million soccer fans inside the country looked on as their team advanced through to the knockout round.</p>



<p>Indonesia also saw an dramatic increase in viewership during the group stage as well. In fact, the nation picked up around 154 million total viewers as the team progressed beyond the group stage. It was the first time that the country ever made it through to the knockouts.</p>



<p>The tournament is currently in the semifinal stage of the competition. The eventual final two teams will face off for the title on Saturday, February 10th.</p>



<p>Photo credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto : IMAGO / AFLOSPORT</p>

Asian Cup takes the world by storm: Record-breaking viewership

2023 Asian Cup organizers are reporting record viewership figures for the tournament currently being held in Qatar


<p>The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced a revamping of its club competitions. This takes effect starting in the 2024/25 campaign.</p>



<p>The current two-competition structure with the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup will be transformed into a three-tier system. The number of teams participating in the three competitions, 76, does not change. Yet, the competition format is a complete overhaul. Eventually, the total number of games increases from 274 to 287.</p>



<h2>AFC club competitions see change from top to bottom</h2>



<p>The still-unnamed <a href="https:\/\/www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_news/news/afc%E2%80%99s_club_competitions_set_for_strategic_reforms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replacement to the current Champions League</a> sees 24 teams split into two “leagues” – East &amp; West. The 12 teams in each league play a total of eight matches. Four are at home, and four are away, against eight different opponents. The top eight teams from each league advance to the Round of 16. </p>



<p>Following the Round of 16, the Quarterfinals, Semifinals &amp; Final follow a traditional tournament style in a single country. The elimination of the common ‘Group Stage’ borrows from the UEFA Champions League which will go to a single-league format during the same 2024/25 season.</p>



<h5>SECOnd/THIRd Tier Competitions and Other Changes</h5>



<p>The second&nbsp;tier of the competition saves the traditional ‘Group Stage’ format. Thirty-two teams compete in eight groups of four. Similar to the World Cup or modern UEFA Champions League, the top two teams advance from each group to a knockout stage of 16 teams. All knockout round ties will be played in a home/away format. Then, the final is a single event. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The AFC Competitions Committee has recommended game-changing reforms to herald a new era of success and unrivalled progress.</p>— AFC (@theafcdotcom) <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/theafcdotcom/status/1606214227873927168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https:\/\/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>The third&nbsp;tier has 20 teams divided into 5 Groups. There will be no home/away matches in the Group Stage. Rather, there are single matches in a centralized location. The top eight teams from the five groups punch a ticket to the quarterfinals. The last eight and last four of the competition have traditional home and away ties. The final is just one game. </p>



<h2>More changes to the AFC club competitions</h2>



<p>A major change for the AFC club competitions is the relegation between leagues. Teams losing in the preliminary and playoff rounds move down a tier to remain active in other competitions. It is similar to when a team loses in the UEFA Champions League playoff round, only to bump into the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/europa-league-tv-schedule/">Europa League</a> group stage. </p>



<p>The final change anticipated for the 2024/25 is the lifting of foreign players rules. Currently, clubs must adhere to a ‘5+1’ rule on foreign players. Essentially, there are five foreign players from any confederation plus one from another AFC country. The ‘5+1’ rule was only introduced this year which replaced a long-standing ‘3+1’ rule. Starting in 2024, any limits on foreign players will be determined by each nations domestic regulations. In many cases, this will mean no limits on foreign players.</p>



<h5>US TV RightS TO AFC club competitions</h5>



<p>The current rightholders to AFC competitions is <a href="https:\/\/paramountplus.qflm.net/c/330866/1007330/3065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CBS/Paramount+</a>. The current rights expire at the end of the 2023/24 season. Therefore, the major changes to the competitions begin with whoever owns the rights <em>after </em>the current CBS/Paramount+ deal expires. Time zone differences with the United States tend to negatively affect the value of said rights. Still, CBS and other other bidders could find themselves in a battle to grab the rights. </p>



<p>The <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">Qatar World Cup</a> has raised the profile of many players that feature in these competitions. Whenever the rights hit the market (expected in the second half of 2023), look for CBS to have some competition from Apple, Amazon and perhaps even ESPN.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Arnulf Hettrich</em></p>


AFC club competitions are undergoing severe overhaul in a few seasons, as they resemble a more modern take on continental club action.

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Asian Cup takes the world by storm: Record-breaking viewership

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Asian Football Confederation to overhaul AFC club competitions