Qatar to host 2023 AFC Asian Cup; India and Saudi Arabia shortlisted for 2027 edition

With the World Cup in Qatar just weeks away, the country was selected Monday as the host of the 2023 Asian Cup by the Asian Football Confederation. Qatar beat bids from South Korea and Indonesia to become the first country to host the continental championship tournament three times after staging the event in 1988 and 2011. China had originally been scheduled to hold the 24-team event but relinquished its hosting rights in May because of the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, leaving the AFC looking for replacements. “Given the short lead time in preparation, we know that the hard work begins immediately but with their existing world-class infrastructure and unrivalled hosting capabilities, we are confident that Qatar will stage a worthy spectacle befitting the prestige and stature of Asia’s crown jewel,” AFC President Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said in a statement. Given the high summer temperatures in Qatar, it’s possible that the scheduled tournament dates could be switched from next June. The World Cup dates were shifted from mid-year to late November and December because of the heat. Meanwhile, India and Saudi Arabia will compete for the hosting rights of the 2027 Asian Cup as three other interested nations have withdrawn their bids, the AFC announced. If India wins the bid, it will be the first time the country will host the continental showpiece event. Saudi Arabia have won the continental title three times but never hosted the tournament. Iran withdrew their bid a few days back while Uzbekistan had pulled out of the race in December 2020. “The AFC Executive Committee deliberated upon the bidding proposals for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and shortlisted the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) as the final two bidders,” an AFC statement said. The decision on the next host will be taken by the AFC Congress at its next meeting in February. India had joined the race for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup but had pulled out early in October 2018. Since successfully staging the men’s U-17 World Cup in 2017, India are hosting the ongoing U-17 women’s World Cup. With AP and PTI inputs Read all the  Latest News ****,  Trending News ****,  Cricket News ****,  Bollywood News ****,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook****,  Twitter and  Instagram****.