AFC halts bidding process for 2031, 2035 Asian Cup finals

The bidding process for the 2031 and 2035 Asian Cup tournaments has been halted due to pending changes in the global football calendar, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Friday.

The Malaysia-based regional body said the move had come after discussions with FIFA regarding a possible switch in the international match calendar that would see the Asian Cup played in even-numbered years.

"Given the far-reaching implications such a change would have on the scheduling and strategic planning of its premier national team competition, the AFC has initiated a broader review of its competitions calendar," it said in a statement.

"As part of this process, it has been deemed appropriate to halt the current bidding cycles to provide greater clarity and ensure a more structured approach to future host selections."

Six bids had been submitted for the men's 2031 finals with Australia, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, South Korea and a joint offering from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan seeking to organise the 24-team event.

Australia, Kuwait and South Korea were also bidding to host the 2035 tournament alongside Japan.

The quadrennial Asian Cup was previously played in even-numbered years from its inception in 1956 but was moved for the 2007 edition, which was hosted by Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

The tournament has been played in odd-numbered years since, with the exception of the most recent edition, which was hosted in Qatar in January 2024.

The Gulf state stepped in as a replacement for China, who had been slated to organise the tournament in June 2023 but gave up hosting rights due to the country's COVID-19 restrictions.

The next edition of the Asian Cup will be played in Saudi Arabia in January 2027, with Qatar the defending champions.