Doha: The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony at the magnificent Lusail Stadium on Friday. Ahead of the competition’s highly anticipated opening clash between hosts Qatar and Lebanon, the Lusail Stadium welcomed fans from across Asia to bask in the splendour of Asia’s crown jewel. Graced by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the ceremony commenced with a spectacular theatrical performance, The Lost Chapter of Kelileh & Demneh, based on the ancient fable of the same name. The performance, which celebrated the spirit of camaraderie across the diverse cultures of Asia, transcending borders and languages, was followed by Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos shifting from tradition to pass the honour to his Palestine counterpart Musab Battat to take the players’ oath. Qatar completed preparations to host the Asian Cup in a record time after being announced as hosts in October 2022, following China’s withdrawal from the hosting rights due to its zero-COVID policy.