Ahead of the big kick-off in Doha we look at the four teams that make up Group A.

QATAR

FIFA Ranking: 58

Best finish: Champions (2019)

Coach: Tintin Marquez (Spain)

Prospects: Qatar, led by Marquez since Carlos Queiroz was sacked in December, will be looking to bury the memory of their winless World Cup campaign as hosts in 2022.

The core of the young team that won the continental title in fine style in 2019 remains but recent results suggest they might struggle to replicate their fairytale run in the United Arab Emirates.

CHINA

FIFA Ranking: 79

Best finish: Runners up (1984, 2004)

Coach: Aleksandar Jankovic (Serbia)

Prospects: China's ambitions have not been matched by their performances at the Asian Cup in the two decades since they made their second appearance in the final and lost to Japan.

Jankovic, who was promoted from coaching the country's age group teams last year, will believe he has enough quality in his squad to get to the quarter-finals, as China did in 2015 and 2019.

TAJIKISTAN

FIFA Ranking: 106

Best finish: Debut

Coach: Petar Segrt (Croatia)

Prospects: Tajikistan punched their ticket to their first major international tournament after finishing unbeaten in the final round of qualifying.

Physicality and defensive steel are the bedrock of their game but Segrt has added a more fluid attacking style since taking over as coach in 2022.

LEBANON

FIFA Ranking: 107

Best finish: Group stage (2000, 2019)

Coach: Miodrag Radulovic (Montenegro)

Prospects: Lebanon achieved their first Asian Cup finals victory with a 4-1 win over North Korea in 2019 but lost out on a place in the knockouts as one of the best third-placed teams because of their fair play rating.

Radulovic returned for a second spell as coach in December and has brought a string of experienced players back into the squad for the Qatar campaign.