The best men’s soccer nations in Asia are in Qatar this month for the 2023 Asian Cup. This is the 18th edition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournament, which is held every four years. Though the teams are contesting the tournament in 2024, the event is still known as the “2023 Asian Cup,” after dates were moved due to host country Qatar’s hot temperatures during the summer (when the event would normally take place).
Want to watch the Asian Cup in the U.S.? Here’s what you need to know.
Asian Cup Soccer Tournament: Dates, Location
This year’s Asian Cup competition takes place from January 12 to February 10, with 24 teams qualifying for the 2023 edition.
As mentioned above, the 2023 Asian Cup is taking place in Qatar, which most recently hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
How to Watch AFC Asian Cup Soccer on TV
If you want to watch the Asian Cup on TV, this year’s tournament is airing in the U.S. through CBS Sports network. You’ll need a cable package for CBS Sports in order to watch the AFC soccer tournament on TV.
How to Watch AFC Asian Cup Soccer Online
Don’t have cable? Here’s how to watch the 2023 Asian Cup online, including ways to stream the soccer matches online for free.
OFFICIAL STREAMING HOME
Paramount+
Paramount+ is the official streaming home of the Asian Cup, as a partner of CBS Sports. You can stream all of the soccer games, from the group stage through to the final in February. Paramount+ has a live feed of the soccer matches, along with Asian Cup highlights and replays that you can watch on-demand.
A Paramount+ subscription costs just $5.99/month but the site has a 7-day free trial here that you can use to watch the Asian Cup online for free.
LIVE TV STREAMING
DirecTV Stream
Another way to livestream Asian Cup soccer online in the U.S. is through DirecTV Stream. The live TV streaming service includes CBS Sports as part of its “Ultimate” and “Premier” packages, and you can use it to watch a live feed of the Asian Cup matches on your phone, tablet, laptop and TV.
DirecTV Stream has a 5-day free trial here that lets you livestream the Asian Cup tournament online for free. Continue on with plans from $69.99/month or cancel before your trial is over to avoid being charged.
WATCH AN INTERNATIONAL FEED
ExpressVPN
If you want to watch an international feed of the Asian Cup from the U.S., your best bet is to use a virtual private network (VPN) like ExpressVPN.
Set your location to a different country or region that offers a free Asian Cup livestream, and get instant access to watch the soccer matches and commentary from the U.S. Our suggestion: get ExpressVPN and set your location to Australia to watch free Asian Cup live streams on 10 Play, the TV service run by Network 10.
2023 Asian Cup Teams, Predictions
The Asian Cup is the second-oldest continental soccer championship in the world, after Copa America. This year’s tournament features 24 teams, that all made it through a qualifying stage last year.
Qatar are the defending Asian Cup champions, having hoisted the trophy in 2023, and the home country is once again a favorite. They’ll be challenged through by the Japanese squad, who have won a record four Asian Cup titles. Saudi Arabia has won the Asian Cup three times, while Iran and South Korea have each taken home the title twice. All of those teams are once again in contention for the 2023 edition of the tournament.
Tajikistan is making their Asian Cup debut in this year’s event, while Hong Kong return for the first time in 56 years. Despite the ongoing war back home, Palestine is also fielding an Asian Cup team, and have advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in its history.
Watch the AFC Asian Cup soccer tournament live and on-demand on Paramount+ here.