Qatar to host the 18th AFC Asian Cup 2023 in place of China

Tags: Sports

The Asian Football Confederation executive committee in its meeting on 17 October 2022 has confirmed that Qatar will host the 18th Asian Cup 2023 in place of the tournament's original hosts, China. Earlier this year China expressed its inability to host the Asian Cup due to its strict Zero covid policy which has seen total lockdown in parts of China.

The continental championships were awarded to China in 2019 and were scheduled to take place in 10 Chinese cities from June 16 -July 16 next year.

Qatar beat Indonesia and South Korea to win the right to host the 2023 Asian football cup.

Qatar is also holding the FIFA men’s football world cup 2022 to be played in the month of November -December 2022.

Qatar are the reigning AFC Asian Cup champions and will be hosting the continent's most prestigious men's tournament for the third time after staging the 1988 and 2011 editions.

India, Saudi Arabia shortlisted as potential host for AFC Asian Cup 2027 

At the meeting, All India Football Federation and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation were shortlisted as the potential host of the 2027 AFC Asian cup. 

The final decision will be taken in the next meeting of the executive council of the AFC to be held in February 2023.

AFC Asian Cup

The first AFC Asian cup was held in 1956 in Hong Kong. It is held every four years.

After the 2004 Asian cup the AFC decided to hold the next Asian cup in 2007.

The 17th Asian Cup was held in UAE in 2019 and it was won by Qatar.  

Asian Football Federation (AFC)

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA.

 It was formed in 1954 in Manila, Philippines and at present 47 countries are its member.

 Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

AFC President:  Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain