The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has officially announced the venues for the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) set to host the tournament. The tournament is scheduled to commence on September 9 and conclude on September 28, 2025.

A major highlight of the announcement is that the high-stakes India vs. Pakistan group stage match will be held in Dubai on September 14. The opening match of the T20 format tournament will be played in Abu Dhabi between Hong Kong and Afghanistan on September 9.

The Asia Cup 2025 will be the 17th edition of the tournament and will feature eight teams. These include the five full members of the ACC: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, along with hosts United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Hong Kong. The teams will be divided into two groups, following a format of group stage matches, then a Super Four stage, and culminating in a final match. The top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Four stage, and the top two from that stage will compete in the final. A total of 19 matches are scheduled to be played throughout the tournament.

India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A along with UAE and Oman.

The decision to hold the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE comes as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the official host of the tournament. However, the matches are being held in the UAE because India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to compete only at neutral venues until 2027, due to ongoing cross-border tensions. The ACC chose the UAE due to its neutral and well-established cricketing infrastructure, ensuring smooth logistics and full participation.

India is the defending champion and the most successful team in Asia Cup history, with eight titles. Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup six times, and Pakistan has won twice. The Asia Cup alternates between being played in the One Day International (ODI) and T20I formats since 2016 and will be held in the T20 format this year.