Courtesy: Google
All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday said that it has submitted India's name under an 'Expression of Interest' to host the prestigious AFC Asian Cup 2031. India is one of the seven countries that have submitted their interest before March 31. India to face stiff competition from other countries like Australia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates for the right to host the event. Indonesia and Kuwait have also made expressions of interest, while Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are bidding jointly. Shaikh Salman, who presided over the 6th AFC executive committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, praised the impressive number of EoIs received, attributing the remarkable reception to Asia's crown jewel's expanding status.
AFC president, mentioning AFC as the best football competition, appreciated MAs for expanding the legacy. “The AFC Asian Cup is undoubtedly one of the greatest success stories, and the last edition in Qatar firmly cemented Asia’s flagship as one of the best football competitions in the world. The record number of bids that we have received is further testament to the stature and appeal of the AFC Asian Cup and on behalf of the AFC Executive Committee, I would like to put on record our sincere appreciation to all our MAs for outlining their ambition to extend and expand on our proud legacy," the AFC president said.
AFC to work on delivering bid documents as per the timelines
At the recent 33rd AFC Congress in Manama, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia was given the chance to host the future edition in 2027. The eventual host of the AFC Asian Cup 2031 is expected to boost the continent's most desired men's national team competition. The AFC will collaborate with the bidding MAs to submit the relevant bidding material in accordance with the specified schedules and protocols, with a bidding workshop for the AFC Asian Cup 2031 set to take place later this month.
The AFC Administration will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of all submitted bids before the host nation for the 24-team tournament is selected by the AFC Congress in 2026. Meanwhile, the AFC Executive Committee authorized the decisions made by its various standing committees, including the AFC Asian Cup Organizing Committee, the AFC Finance Committee, the AFC Competitions Committee, and the AFC Professional Football Committee.
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