The 2023 AFC Asian Cup has now entered the knockout phase, with the first ties of the Round of 16 to take place on Saturday, January 27.
Host nation Qatar were among the more impressive performers during the group stage as continental heavyweights Japan and South Korea found life much more difficult, although both nations managed to earn a place in the second phase.
Australia also progressed and will begin the Round of 16 with their match against Indonesia, who managed to scrape through thanks to a win over Vietnam despite losing their other two group-stage matches.
All games now become single-elimination knockouts, where extra time and a penalty shootout will be required should the scores be level between teams. The quarterfinals await the eight winners of the Round of 16 matchups, while the beaten nations will be heading home.
The Sporting News looks at which sides have qualified for this phase of the tournament, which have already been eliminated, and how the schedule looks for the rest of the competition.
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Which teams have qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2023 knockout rounds?
The following teams have qualified for the knockout phase of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
| Team | Group |
| Qatar | A (1st place) |
| Tajikistan | A (2nd place) |
| Australia | B (1st place) |
| Uzbekistan | B (2nd place) |
| Syria | B (3rd place) |
| Iran | C (1st place) |
| UAE | C (2nd place) |
| Palestine | C (3rd place |
| Iraq | D (1st place) |
| Japan | D (2nd place) |
| Indonesia | D (3rd place) |
| Bahrain | E (1st place) |
| South Korea | E (2nd place) |
| Jordan | E (3rd place) |
| Saudi Arabia | F (1st place) |
| Thailand | F (2nd place) |
Teams eliminated from AFC Asian Cup 2023
The following teams know they are now out of the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
| Team | Group |
| China | A (3rd place, 2 points) |
| Lebanon | A (4th lace, 1 point) |
| India | B (4th place, 0 points) |
| Hong Kong | C (4th place, 0 points) |
| Vietnam | D (4th place, 0 points) |
| Malaysia | E (4th place, 1 point) |
| Oman | F (3rd place, 2 points) |
| Kyrgyzstan | F (4th place, 1 point) |
MORE: How the 2023 Asian Cup group stage finished
2023 AFC Asian Cup format
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup features 24 teams for the second successive tournament after opting for an expansion from 16 ahead of the 2019 edition.
The teams are split into six groups of four (A-F) with the top two teams from each mini league automatically qualifying for the Round of 16 knockout stage.
As that process only confirms 12 spots, the remaining four knockout places will be given to the best third-placed teams, as decided by the below tiebreaker criteria.
- Total points over three group games
- Group-stage goal difference
- Group-stage goals scored
- Lowest disciplinary points total
- Drawing of lots
From the Round of 16 onwards, all matches are single-elimination knockout, with 30 minutes of extra time and penalties a possibility if scores are tied after 90 minutes of regulation.
The quarterfinals will be followed by two semifinals and a final, but there will be no third-place playoff.
2023 AFC Asian Cup knockout stage schedule
Round of 16
| Match No. | Date | Fixture |
| 37 | Jan. 28 | Australia vs. Indonesia |
| 38 | Jan. 28 | Tajikistan vs. UAE |
| 39 | Jan. 29 | Iraq vs. Jordan |
| 40 | Jan. 29 | Qatar vs. Palestine |
| 41 | Jan. 30 | Uzbekistan vs. Thailand |
| 42 | Jan. 30 | Saudi Arabia vs. South Korea |
| 43 | Jan. 31 | Bahrain vs. Japan |
| 44 | Jan. 31 | Iran vs. Syria |
Quarterfinal
| Match No. | Date | Fixture |
| QF. 1 | Feb. 2 | Winner of Match 38 vs. Winner of Match 39 |
| QF. 2 | Feb. 2 | Winner of Match 37 vs. Winner of Match 42 |
| QF. 3 | Feb. 3 | Winner of Match 44 vs. Winner of Match 43 |
| QF. 4 | Feb. 3 | Winner of Match 40 vs. Winner of Match 41 |
Semifinal
| Date | Fixture |
| Feb 6. | Winner of QF 1 vs. Winner of QF 2 |
| Feb 7. | Winner of QF 3 vs. Winner of QF 4 |
Final
| Date | Fixture |
| Feb 10. | Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal 2 |
