Asian Cup 2015: Teams arrive in Australia ahead of kick-off

Players competing in the 2015 Asian Cup have started arriving in Australia, ahead of the competition's keenly-awaited kick off on January 9.

A total of 16 teams are set to compete in the cup, with games to be played in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Newcastle.

But the excitement is not contained to the competition's host cities, with training and base camps also located in the Victorian towns of Ballarat and Torquay.

The Kuwaiti team arrived in Canberra before Christmas for a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport, ahead of playing the first game of the competition against the Socceroos in Melbourne.

Players, fans share the love on social media

Kuwaiti midfielder Aziz Mashaan has been full of praise for the nation's capital on social media, taking selfies with team mates in front of Lake Burley Griffin and lavishing compliments on the city's "wonderful people".

Oman and Qatar also arrived in Canberra for training camps on Monday.

In Victoria, the Jordanian team swung by Melbourne's Mazenod College for a meet and greet with students after Christmas.

Meantime, the Socceroos' opening training session was held at Olympic Park in Melbourne on Monday.

Before Christmas, captain Mile Jedinak and stalwarts Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano were named in the squad which includes 16 players from the 2014 World Cup, with Robbie Kruse to after missing out on World Cup selection due to injury.

Coach Ange Postecoglou said he had picked a competitive squad, with a balance between youth and experience.

"We've been pretty disciplined ... in sticking to the whole premise we wanted to rejuvenate the squad," he said.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will go head to head on Tuesday night in Victoria, with a friendly match at Geelong's Simonds Stadium.

2015 Asian Cup coverage will be available at ABC Grandstand.