Melbourne to host Cup opener

Hunter Stadium ... set to host a semi-final and 3rd v 4th playoff in 2015. Source: News Limited

The Socceroos will kick off their 2015 Asian Cup campaign in Melbourne but it's Newcastle who is the biggest winner as Australia prepares to host the tournament for the first time.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday revealed AAMI Park in Melbourne as host of the Cup's opening ceremony and the Socceroos' first group match on January 9, with the final to be held at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

While Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra will each host six group games and a quarter-final, Newcastle has nabbed one of the two semi-finals alongside Sydney.

Hunter Stadium, with a capacity of 33,000, will also be home to the play-off for third and fourth, as well as four group matches.

Sydney's former Olympic stadium will host the tournament's biggest matches - seven in total - including the Socceroos' second group game, quarter-final, semi-finals and the final.

The competition includes a total of 32 matches over three weeks, finishing on January 31.

AFC Asian Cup Australia local organising committee chief executive Michael Brown said the release of the full schedule was a "momentous'' day for football in Australia.

"Having these decisions locked away now means the detailed planning work in the host cities can be done,'' he said.

Chairman of AFC Asian Cup Organising Committee, HRH Prince Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, who flew from Malaysia for the launch, said he expected big things from Australia.

"We are sure it will be a great backdrop for world-class football,'' he said.

"Looking at the progress made so far and Australia's rich sporting culture, I expect this AFC Asian Cup to be better than all previous (tournaments).''

Australia, Japan, North Korea and South Korea have qualified for the 2015 Asian Cup, with qualifying for the remaining spots still to be confirmed.

View the original article here