China and Tajikistan kick-off their AFC Asian Cup campaign in a scintillating battle at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Qatar.
China will be vying to match their performances according to the promise the side boasts of as they have failed to win the Asian title even once in their history. The two time runners-up have faltered at the last hurdle and face a massive challenge with Qatar being considered as favourites to win Group A.
This is Tajikistan's maiden appearance in the competition and the young side would leave no stone unturned to make their debut a memorable one. They last lost a contest in June 2023 against Uzbekistan and have since managed four wins and one draw as they look to dampen China's hopes of starting the competition on a high.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
China vs Tajikistan kick-off time
| Date: | January 13, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 9:30 am ET / 6:30 am PT |
| Venue: | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
China and Tajikistan will face off at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Qatar will kick-off scheduled at 9:30 am ET / 6:30 am PT in the US.
How to watch China vs Tajikistan online - TV channels & live streams
 | Paramount+ | Watch here |
The AFC Asian Cup encounter will be available to watch on Paramount+ in the US. Viewers can get live updates on GOAL's Live Match Centre.
Team news & squads
China team news
China suffered a major setback when their captain Wu Xi hobbled off the pitch on New Years in a friendly against Hong Kong due to a hamstring injury with his availability currently unknown.
The clash against Hong Kong was a memorable one for Zhang Linpeng with the defender racking up 100 appearances for his national side. All eyes would definitely be on forward Wu Lei who is just seven goals shy of being his nation's most decorated goalscorer, a feat he'll look to achieve at the AFC Asian Cup.
China predicted XI: Junling; Haofeng, Linpeng, Browning, Yang; Liangming, Xin, Shangyuan, Pu; Lei, Yuning
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Dianzuo, Junling, Dalei, Tao |
| Defenders: | Guangtai, Linpeng, Chenjie, Shenglong, Yang, Lei, Shaocong, Haofeng |
| Midfielders: | Xi, Pengfei, Binbin, Shangyuan, Tianyi, Xin, Weijun, Liangming, Qiuming |
| Forwards: | Lei, Shihao, Pu, Long, Yuning |
Tajikistan team news
Tajikistan have a fairly young squad heading into the AFC Asian Cup with Alisher ShukurovandMukhriddin Khasanov being the least experienced with just one cap a piece for their country.
Tajikistan defeated Hong Kong in a friendly in January and boast of strong goalscorers especially after their 6-1 win against Pakistan in the World Cup Qualifiers in November. Parvizdzhon Umarbayev has nine goals for Tajikistan and would be the most influential cog for his side against China.
Tajikistan predicted XI: Yatimov; Safarov, Khanonov, Dzhuraboyev, Nazarov; Umarbayev, Juraboev; Panjshanbe, Dzhalilov, Rakhimov; Samiev
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Yatimov, Barotov, Khasanov |
| Defenders: | Davlatmir, Nazarov, Safarov, Hanonov, Qurbonov, Nazarov, Imomnazarov |
| Midfielders: | Umarboev, Dzuraboev, Dzhalilov, Muhammadjoni, Kamolov, Shukurov, Panshanbe, Khailoev, Aini, Safarov |
| Forwards: | Soirov, Shervoni, Samiev, Khamrokulov, Azizboev |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 11 June 2019 | China 1-0 Tajikistan | Friendlies |