Indonesia's Bid to Host 2031 AFC Asian Cup Delayed, Reasons Behind

The sudden decision by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to halt the bidding process for the AFC Asian Cup 2031 and 2035 hosts has reshaped the competitive landscape. Indonesia was one of the bidders for hosting the most prestigious tournament in the Asian region.

Quoted from its official website, the AFC stated this policy was taken because FIFA requested the Asian Cup be held in even-numbered years.

"The AFC will follow suit and adjust its competitions accordingly in line with the new mandate," wrote the AFC.

This step is not merely a technical adjustment, but also opens a phase for a comprehensive evaluation of the Asian competition calendar, which has so far operated under a different pattern.

The AFC confirmed they are in the process of conducting a full review of the impact resulting from this change.

Therefore, the AFC decided to stop the host bidding process for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup 2031 and 2035 to make the process more structured.

"We want to ensure clarity and structure," wrote the AFC.

This decision also temporarily halts the ambitions of several nations that were already on the candidate list. 

Indonesia was previously competing with Australia, India, South Korea, Kuwait, and a joint proposal from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan for the 2031 edition.

The AFC expressed gratitude to the member associations that submitted their interest to host.

"Further details on the revised competition calendar, including information on future host opportunities, will be communicated in due course," wrote the AFC.

For the 2035 edition, interest came from Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Kuwait, signifying the high appeal of the Asian Cup as the main stage for Football on the continent.