Final
Jordan v Morocco
Venue: Khalifa International Stadium (Al Rayyan)
Kick-off: 19:00 (UTC+3)

The final will be between two teams who have impressed in recent times when Jordan and Morocco square off for the title.

The last 24 months have seen the rise of Jordan, having finished runners-up in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ and qualified for an inaugural appearance at the FIFA World Cup.

They are now one match away from lifting a first major trophy and the golden generation - as this crop of players are being referred to - are determined to go all the way.

Jamal Sellami's side have been perfect in the tournament so far, easily topping Group C with wins over UAE, Egypt and Kuwait. That was followed by 1-0 victories against Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively and Sellami, who is set to face his native Morocco in the final, will expect his team to rise to the occasion yet again despite having to juggle his starting lineup.


"We hope to end our journey with a victory. Tomorrow's match will be a tough one, bringing together two of the best teams participating in this tournament," said Sellami.

"We will face a strong and experienced team with a range of technical qualities that make them contenders for the title. However, we also possess qualities that allow us to close the gap and make us the favorites to win the championship.

"Playing in a final is meaningless unless we win. The Jordanian national team has previously played in the Asian Cup final in Doha but did not win. Now, we are required to win this final."

While goals have not been a problem for Jordan with a tournament high 10 scored enroute to the final, it is their defensive resilience that has carried them with only two conceded.

They showed grit against Saudi Arabia, limiting opportunities for Herve Renard's side and will have plans in place to neutralise Morocco's attackers, who were clinical in the 3-0 semi-final win against UAE.

Morocco will also be equally determined to add a second title to the one won in 2012, with the absence of several Europe based players not having hampered their campaign.

Semi-finalists at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Morocco will be confident of their chances.

3rd Place Playoff
Saudi Arabia v United Arab Emirates
Venue: Lusail Stadium (Lusail)
Kick-off: 14:00 (UTC+3)

Despite semi-final disappointment, both sides will be fired up for the playoff with Saudi Arabia preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and UAE looking to end the year on a high note.

Saudi Arabia would have been disappointed with their attacking play against Jordan and this will be an area head coach Renard will pay attention to ahead of Thursday tie at the Lusail Stadium.

The scoreline did not tell the true story in UAE's semi-final defeat as Morocco only scored the second and third after Cosmin Olaroiu' side went in search of the equaliser.

With both teams desperate to atone for their semi-final defeats, the playoff promises to be a cracker.

Photo: FIFA via Getty Images