Four nations toss hat into AFC 2023 ring

Image: Tokyo 2020

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has received Expressions of Interest (EoI) from four AFC Member Associations (MAs) to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023™ final competition.

‘the-AFC.com’ stated that following the AFC’s invitation to all MAs to express their interest in hosting the flagship men’s national team tournament on May 31^st, 2022, the following AFC MAs have responded by the extended deadline of July 15^th, 2022, and expressed their interest to bid for the hosting rights of the AFC Asian Cup 2023™:

• Football Australia;
• Football Association of Indonesia;
• Korea Football Association; and
• Qatar Football Association.

 
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup™ will be the 18^th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Asia organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It will be held from June 16^th to July 16^th, 2023.

The Asian Football Confederation is a governing body of association football, beach soccer and futsal in some countries/territories in Asia and Oceania. It has 47 member-countries most of which are located in Asia. Australia, formerly in Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), joined AFC in 2006.

‘the-AFC.com’ further stated that in accordance with the bidding process, the Bidding Regulations were distributed to the MAs on June 17^th, 2022, and the deadline for Bidding MAs to submit the Bid documents is set for August 31^st, 2022.

Following the above, an overall evaluation of the bids will be undertaken by the AFC Administration prior to the selection and announcement of the host for the 24-team competition by the AFC Executive Committee on October 17^th, 2022.
 

‘Little chance’

‘Barron’s’ stated that in an earlier development, Japanese football chiefs said on July 13^th that there is ‘little chance’ they will bid to replace China as hosts of next year’s Asian Cup, two days before the deadline to declare interest.

South Korea has already submitted an official bid to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to host the 24-team competition, scheduled for June and July 2023.

When asked if the Japan Football Association (JFA) planned to bid, JFA Technical Director Yasuharu Sorimachi told newsmen, “We are considering it but there is little chance”.

‘Barron’s’ further stated that China was due to host the tournament but pulled out in May due to challenges related to its strict zero-COVID strategy.

The AFC invited new bids to host the quadrennial competition and set a deadline of June 30^th, which was then extended until July 15^th.

Japan, who has won the Asian Cup four times, last hosted the tournament in 1992.

South Korea has not hosted the Asian Cup since 1960, the only time it has staged the event.
 

COVID curse

COVID restrictions have pushed China off the global sporting map.

In May, organizers of the Olympic-sized Asian Games, due to be held in September in Hangzhou, postponed the event over logistical problems caused by COVID.

The World University Games, originally set to be held in Chengdu in June, were also postponed for a second time due to “continued uncertainty over conditions”.

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• 2023 AFC Asian Cup™
• Asian Football Confederation

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