The UAE newspaper Al-Ittihad reported, according to private sources, that Qatar has become the most likely to host the 2023 Asian Cup, after defeating South Korea in the last meters of the race.
China had apologized for organizing the continental championship due to the exceptional circumstances the country was going through as a result of the Corona pandemic, as the tournament was supposed to be held in 10 Chinese cities during the period from June 16 to July 16, 2023.
4 countries had applied to organize the important event, namely Qatar, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia, before the latter withdrew.
Saudi Arabia did not apply to host the tournament, despite talking about it in the early days after China’s apology, as it preferred to focus on the bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup, during which it competes with Qatar, India and Iran.
The Executive Office of the Asian Football Confederation is scheduled to decide the hosting order during its upcoming meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on the 17th of October.
Al-Ittihad newspaper explained that the Qatari file was able to outperform its South Korean counterpart in the race to win the organization of the 2023 Asian Cup, due to the readiness of the infrastructure and facilities necessary for hosting, in addition to the ease of its procedures related to the Corona pandemic.
Qatar’s organization of the next edition of the Asian Cup will benefit Saudi Arabia, as only India and Iran will compete to host the 2027 edition, making it the most likely.
Qatar is scheduled to organize the 2022 World Cup from November 20 until the final match is held on December 18, which coincides with the National Day of the country.