KUALA LUMPUR – Amid rising bidding interest, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) may break tradition by naming the hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 Asian Cups in a single announcement.
The governing body’s response follows a record seven nations expressing interest in hosting the 2031 finals.
Australia, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and a joint bid from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan submitted their proposals before last month’s deadline.
However, a date for the announcement of the winning bid has yet to be set.
In an exclusive interview with Scoop, AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John confirmed that no further bids would be accepted for the 2031 edition, with the bidding process for the 2035 tournament set to open soon.
“For the first time in history, we have received seven bids for the 2031 edition. Our committee has decided to carry out two separate bidding processes for the 2031 and 2035 editions, and to make a joint decision on both,” he said.
“The bidding process for 2031 has already been completed, and no changes will be made. We are now opening the bidding for 2035 and will soon identify the countries interested in hosting it. The final decision on both hosts will be made at our congress in a joint announcement.
“At this stage, we have only received the bid books; we have yet to receive detailed hosting plans from the bidders.
“We believe four years is sufficient for preparation, and while the exact announcement date is still to be decided, our team will carry out several site inspections and thorough evaluations of the submitted bids,” Windsor added, when met at AFC headquarters in Bukit Jalil.
For the record, India has never hosted the tournament, which began in Hong Kong in 1956, while South Korea — one of Asia’s most successful footballing nations — last staged the event in 1960.
None of the Central Asian nations, which joined the AFC in 1994 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, have hosted the finals.
Meanwhile, Windsor also noted that Malaysia – previously rumoured to be in the running for 2031 – now has an opportunity to submit a bid for the 2035 edition, either independently or as part of a joint proposal.
Previously, Scoop reported that Windsor had dismissed online speculation suggesting Malaysia, along with several Asean countries, had submitted bids to host the continent’s top international football tournament, stating that no official submission had been made by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
The 24-team Asian Cup is held every four years. The next edition will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
Qatar hosted the most recent tournament in early 2024, after China withdrew as hosts, prompting a six-month postponement. – May 9, 2025
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