Newcastle will host defending Champions Japan as well as a semi-final potentially featuring the Socceroos at next year’s Asian Cup.
The City of Newcastle will host defending Champions Japan as well as a semi-final potentially featuring the Socceroos at next year’s AFC Asian Cup.
The Blue Samurai will begin their title defence at Newcastle Stadium on January 12 against the winner of the AFC Challenge Cup.
Newcastle will also host the Group A match between Oman and Kuwait on January 17.
The Socceroos have been drawn with the Oman, Kuwait and Korea Republic in Group A of the AFC Asian Cup 2015 following last night’s draw at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Should the Socceroos finish second in Group A and progress to the semi-final stage of the tournament, they would play their semi-final in Newcastle.
Newcastle is also set to host the playoff match for 3rd and 4th.
As host nation, the Socceroos were seeded in the top tier of teams for the tournament and were placed in the A1 position of the groups.
The Socceroos will face Kuwait in the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup 2015 on 9 January in Melbourne, followed by Oman on 13 January in Sydney with their final group match against Korea Republic on 17 January in Brisbane.
The Socceroos have played Kuwait at senior men-s international level on ten occasions and last played each other back in January 2010 in an AFC Asian Cup 2011 Qualifier in Kuwait where they drew 2-2.
The Socceroos have defeated Oman three times, drawn three times and lost once.
The Socceroos were also drawn with the Korea Republic at the AFC Asian Cup 2011 and have met 26 times in total, the most recent match at the EAFF East Asian Cup where they played out a scoreless draw.
AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Groups
Group A: Australia (63), Korea Republic (60), Oman (81), Kuwait (110)
Group B: Uzbekistan (55), Saudi Arabia (75), China PR (98), DPR Korea (133)
Group C: Iran (42), UAE (61), Qatar (101), Bahrain (106)
Group D: Japan (48), Jordan (66), Iraq (103), Winner of AFC Challenge Cup 2014 (Maldives, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Afghanistan or Laos)
Number in brackets is the latest FIFA Ranking as at 13 March 2014
The Final of the AFC Challenge Cup will be played on 30 May 2014.
AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Fixtures
Group A: Australia, Korea Republic, Oman, Kuwait
09 Jan 2015: Australia v Kuwait, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
10 Jan 2015: Korea Republic v Oman, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
13 Jan 2015: Kuwait v Korea Republic, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
13 Jan 2015: Oman v Australia, Stadium Australia, Sydney
17 Jan 2015: Australia v Korea Republic, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
17 Jan 2015: Oman v Kuwait, Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
Group B: Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China PR, DPR Korea
10 Jan 2015: Uzbekistan v DPR Korea, Stadium Australia, Sydney
10 Jan 2015: Saudi Arabia v China PR, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
14 Jan 2015: DPR Korea v Saudi Arabia, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
14 Jan 2015: China PR Uzbekistan, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
18 Jan 2015: Uzbekistan v Saudi Arabia, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
18 Jan 2015: China PR v DPR Korea, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Group C: IR Iran, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain
11 Jan 2015: IR Iran v Bahrain, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
11 Jan 2015: UAE v Qatar, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
15 Jan 2015: Bahrain v UAE, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
15 Jan 2015: Qatar v IR Iran, Stadium Australia, Sydney
19 Jan 2015: IR Iran v UAE, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
19 Jan 2015: Qatar v Bahrain, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Group D: Japan, Jordan, Iraq, Winner of AFC Challenge Cup 2014 (Maldives, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Afghanistan or Laos)
12 Jan 2015: Japan v Winner of AFC Challenge Cup 2014, Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
12 Jan 2015: Jordan v Iraq, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
16 Jan 2015: Winner of AFC Challenge Cup 2014 v Jordan, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
16 Jan 2015: Iraq v Japan, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
20 Jan 2015: Japan v Jordan, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
20 Jan 2015: Iraq v Winner of AFC Challenge Cup 2014, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Quarter Finals
QF1 – 22 January 2015: 1A v 2B, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
QF2 – 22 January 2015: 1B v 2A, Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
QF3 – 23 January 2015: 1C v 2D, Stadium Australia, Sydney
QF4 – 23 January 2015: 1D v 2C, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Semi Finals
SF1 – 26 January 2015: Winner QF1 v Winner QF3, Stadium Australia, Sydney
SF2 – 27 January 2015: Winner QF2 v Winner QF4, Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
3rd/4th Play-Off
30 January 2015: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2, Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
AFC Asian Cup 2015 Final
31 January 2015: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Stadium Australia, Sydney
For more information, please visit www.afcasiancup.com.
