Australia is among four countries to submit expressions of interest to replace China as host of next year’s Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation said on Monday.
South Korea, Indonesia and this year’s World Cup host Qatar are the other three nations to table interest, the AFC said.
China was due to host the 24-team event, scheduled for June and July next year, but the country’s efforts to follow a zero-COVID-19 policy resulted in it being moved.
The deadline for the four associations to submit their bid documents has been set for August 31, and the AFC’s executive committee will announce the new host on October 17.
South Korea won the inaugural Asian Cup in 1956 and retained the trophy as hosts four years later – the only time they staged the finals. The country has not staged a major tournament since co-hosting the World Cup with Japan in 2002.
Australia, Asian Cup winners in 2015, already has a busy 2023 planned as co-hosts of the Women’s World Cup with New Zealand, which starts on July 20 next year.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said earlier this month the governing body had consulted with the AFC to consider moving the Asian Cup to later in the calendar to avoid a clash with the Women’s World Cup.
Qatar have hosted the Asian Cup twice, in 1988 and 2011, and won the tournament in 2019.
Indonesia were one of four co-hosts of the 2007 Asian Cup and exited in the group stage – their best finish in the tournament.
Marcel
Guest
Moore Park, Homebush, Parramatta, Gosford, Newcastle, Wollongong..... Hold the entire thing in NSW.....it's the only State Govt that consistently puts it's hand in its pocket to support our code.
Marcel
Guest
I'd assume it's to take the opportunistic claims of the other codes completely out of the equation. Have you forgotten the WC bid.
paul
Guest
I'd love to visit South Korea, and given that they are allowing tourists in unlike Japan and China, it seems a no-brainer. So long as I don't wake up in a green tracksuit in a dorm full of others dressed the same way, I'm sure it'll be great.
paul
Guest
International windows. That said, January would be better. Kids on school holidays etc. February would be 40+ heatwaves in the south and driving rain in Queensland.
paul
Guest
Who would have thought that would be due to Andrew Redmayne?
paul
Guest
Dude, it's not the Commonwealth Games.
Punter
Roar Rookie
OOPs yes.
chris
Guest
Punter Italy have been world champs 4 times. It's a very fine line between success and failure when the competition is so tight. And when there are over 200 nations all vying for a limited number of spots at the finals.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Australia has a large number of modernised stadiums , I dont really see why it cant be hosted at another point in time in 2023. Why football Australia is saying Feb 2024 is ridiculous.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Who would have thought that 6 Asian countries would play in WC22 & only 4 Sth American countries. Times they are a changing,
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Iceland doesn;t recruit foreigners like Qatar does and they dont have a 2 million immigrant worker population to recruit from either. Their Aspire academy recruiting prospects from worldwide and trialling millions of youngsters was supposed to assemble the best youth prospects take then to Qatar where they would be trained full time from a young age. This process has netted them Aleez Ali he is their top striker, not sure anyone else. In fact their old technique which is just naturalize player who went to a Qatar club has worked better, they had Sebastian Soria of course they now have a few foreign born players by that route. Australia with their A-league recruitment of geriatrics tries this with Fornaroli in his mid 30's, The major success story has been the high jumper Barshim which isnt their focus , if you pump money into Olympic sports you will get medals, the same thing doesn't work for football, because already have a worldwide network of scouts looking for all the good youth.
Punter
Roar Rookie
There was 13 countries that qualified for WC 22 from Europe & the Euros champions, again Italy was not one of them. Just amazing!!!!
Punter
Roar Rookie
The times are a changing!!!! Iceland a country of less 400K qualified for the world cup in the same Federation that Italy, 3 times world champions did not in 2018.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
I'm a bit shocked every time I'm reminded that Qatar is the reigning Asian champion.
AGO74
Guest
Hard to see South Korea getting overlooked with all other bidders having hosted in recent years.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
South Korea!!!!
Tigertown
Guest
Do it, Australia. However, let’s send some games to states & cities that traditionally get overlooked by football.
Brian
Guest
Honestly better to keep it in June-July 2023 during the European as well as A League break. South Korea would make a good host