Australia to host 2015 Asian Cup

 MELBOURNE will host the opening match of the 2015 Asian Cup, but will likely lose hosting rights to the final to Sydney.

The match and opening ceremony will be held at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne January 2015, Premier Ted Baillieu announced today.

But the MCG will not host the final of the tournament, with Sydney tipped to snare the hosting rights.

Melbourne was expected to host six of 32 matches played in eastern Australian states and territories.

Mr Baillieu said the tournament would deliver great benefits to Victoria.

"It has an enormous audience, it attracts a great spectator contingent and we can expect a huge influx of visitors, of media and of course some of the elite of football across the world," he said.

The Victorian government is predicting a benefit of $20 million for the Victorian economy with federal and state governments committing $61 million to pay for the event.

Australia was announced as the host nation of the 2015 Asian Cup in Doha overnight.

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