Qatar prepares itself for another bejewelled football tournament as the AFC Asian Cup 2023 kicks off in the Middle East. After hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar will play host to Asia's biggest football tournament with numerous countries vying for the scintillating trophy.
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Getty ImagesWhile players from various leagues will participate in the tournament for their national sides, a handful of Premier League players will be out of action representing their respective nations. Tottenham Hotspur's marquee man Heung-Min Son will be a major absentee from England, Brighton will miss Kaoru Mitoma while Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool will be without Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo.
GOAL takes a look at all the players who will be out of Premier League action during the one-month window for the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
Which Premier League players will participate in the AFC Asian Cup 2023?
While only a handful of Premier League clubs will have their players missing due to the Asian Cup, some big names are touted to take part in the continental tournament.
GOAL gives a detailed list of all the players who are scheduled to take part in the Asian Cup.
| Player | Club | National Team |
|---|---|---|
| Takehiro Tomiyasu | Arsenal | Japan |
| Saman Ghoddos | Brentford | Iran |
| Kim Ji-soo | Brentford | South Korea |
| Kaoru Mitoma | Brighton | Japan |
| Wataru Endo | Liverpool | Japan |
| Son Heung-min | Tottenham Hotspur | South Korea |
| Hwang Hee-chan | Wolves | South Korea |
| Justin Hubner | Wolves | Indonesia |
When does the AFC Asian Cup 2023 start and end?
The Asian Cup 2023 will start on Friday, 12th January 2024 with hosts and reigning champions Qatar playing Lebanon at the Lusail Stadium with the game set to start at 11:00 am ET / 8:00 am PT in the US and 4:00 pm GMT in the UK.
The Round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 will start from 28 January with 16 teams vying to gallop towards the final. The action will return to the Lusail Stadium in Qatar once again on 10th February 2024 as the final of the competition takes place.