The local organizing committee of the Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar announced on Monday that it will donate the revenues from the tournament’s ticket sales to aid the Palestinian people suffering from the ravages of war.
Israel has been launching continuous attacks on the densely populated Gaza Strip for the past 45 days, resulting in more than 13,000 fatalities, including 5,500 children, and over 30,000 injuries, predominantly women and children.
The “Asian Cup Qatar 2023” account on the platform “X” stated that the local organizing committee has decided to “allocate the proceeds from the sale of tickets for the upcoming Asian tournament to support relief efforts for the Palestinian people, who are undergoing a crisis of war that requires support and all necessary aid from everyone.”
This announcement comes hours before the sale of the second batch of tournament tickets, with the first batch having sold over 150,000 tickets.
Qatar will host the Asian Cup from January 12 to February 10 next year, featuring 24 teams and 51 matches across nine stadiums, the largest being Lusail Stadium with a capacity of 88,000 spectators.
Qatar aims to defend its continental title on home soil after winning the Asian Cup for the first time in 2019. The Palestinian national team is also participating, drawn in Group C alongside Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong.