Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup: When Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Hibs stars play their opening matches

15 SPFL players called up for international action across two prestigious tournaments

Hibs winger Martin Boyle during an Australia training session ahead of the the AFC Asian Cup at Qatar University Field in Doha. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations both get underway this weekend in tournaments that will feature 15 players currently plying their trade in Scotland.

Celtic, Hearts and Hibs account for 11 of the total with the Scottish Premiership leaders losing no fewer than five players to the Asian Cup, which kicked off on Friday with hosts and defending champions Qatar claiming a 3-0 win over Lebanon.

Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda were both called up to a Japan squad considered favourites for the title as Asia's highest placed team in the FIFA rankings (17th). They also go into tournament on the back of a 10-match winning sequence that included a stunning 4-1 away victory in Germany in September. Hatate and Maeda will hope to be involved when Japan play their opening group match against Vietnam on Sunday.

Hyeong-gyu Oh and Hyun-yan Yang could also go deep into the tournament with highly-fancied South Korea, who face Bahrain on Monday, while Maro Tilio, who has barely kicked a ball for Celtic since his summer arrival from Melbourne City, has been called up to the Australia squad.

The Socceroos, who face India in their group opener on Saturday morning, account for six SPFL call-ups with one from St Mirren in the shape of midfielder Keanu Baccus, and two each being called up from Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibs – namely Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson from the maroon side with Lewis Miller and Martin Boyle from the green side.

Hibs are also without a further two players called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty with defender Rocky Bushiri representing DR Congo and goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott selected for Ghana despite his lack of minutes at Easter Road this season. Congo start against Zambia on Wednesday while Ghana kick-off against Cape Verde on Sunday.

Rangers will also have to make do without one of their key performers so far this season with on-loan Brighton forward Abdallah Sima earning a place in the Senegal squad after netting 15 times in 33 games for the Ibrox side. Senegal are the defending champions and title favourites and kick off against Gambia on Monday.

The remaining two SFPL players to receive AFCON call-ups both come from the lower divisions with Ayr United centre-back Frankie Musonda earning a place in the Zambia squad, while Tanzania have raided League Two for Forfar Athletic defender Roberto Nditi, who will come up against the stars of Morocco in his country's opening match.

"It's a special moment for me and my family. I can't wait to get going," Nditi told the Scottish Football podcast. "It's an opportunity I never thought would come but it has and I can't wait. It's a crazy situation when you put it into perspective - to go from Peterhead on Saturday to playing Morocco, world-class opposition. That would be an incredible opportunity. Even just to be involved in that situation, you dream of that and representing your nation."

The Ivory Coast, who kick off the tournament against minnows Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, will be aiming for a first AFCON title since 2015 in their first home tournament in 39 years and are one of the favourites.

The Asia Cup runs until February 10, while the Africa Cup of Nations ends on February 11.