AIFF keen to host Asian Cup in 2031

PANAJI: Two years after withdrawing a bid to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027, the All India Football Federation ( AIFF ) has now officially shown interest in hosting the 2031 edition of Asian football ’s most prestigious national team tournament.

With Praful Patel as president, India had launched an ambitious bid in 2020 to host the Asian Cup 2027. However, when the new executive committee took charge in 2022 with former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey as president, the first major decision was to withdraw the bid, leaving Saudi Arabia as the only country left in the fray.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.

Now, AIFF has officially notified the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of its desire to organise the quadrennial event. Besides India, six others have expressed interest in hosting the continental showpiece. It includes Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and a joint bid from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

While UAE, Australia, South Korea, Kuwait and Indonesia (jointly with three other countries in 2007) have all hosted the Asian Cup in the past, the Central Asian countries and India, if selected, will host the tournament for the first time.

The decision is expected at the AFC Congress in 2026.