S. Korea loses Asian Cup bid to Qatar

▲ This image provided by the Korea Football Association on Sept. 15, 2022, shows the logo for South Korea's bid for the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ In this Sept. 6, 2022, file photo provided by the Korea Football Association, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officials tour Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul, as part of their inspection of potential venues for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo from Sept. 2, 2022, shows participants in the introduction ceremony for the honorary ambassadors for South Korea's bid for the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup at the Korea Football Association (KFA) House in Seoul. From left: Sports Minister Park Bo-gyoon, Red Devils leader Lee Jung-geun, South Korean under-23 men's national football team head coach Hwang Sun-hong, dancer Aiki, comedian Lee Soo-geun, KFA Vice President Lee Young-pyo, football analyst Park Moon-sung and KFA President Chong Mong-gyu. (Yonhap)

S Korea-football tournament

S. Korea loses Asian Cup bid to Qatar

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has fallen short in its bid to host Asia's top football tournament next year.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Monday that Qatar was selected as the host of the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup over South Korea and Indonesia, relaying a decision reached at the AFC Executive Committee meeting in Malaysia earlier in the day.

South Korea has only hosted one Asian Cup -- the second edition of the quadrennial event in 1960. It was also the last time the country won the continental competition.

China had been the original host of the 2023 tournament but it withdrew in May this year, citing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea jumped into the race in June and claimed that East Asia was due to host the AFC's signature event, with the previous tournament in 2019 having taken place in the United Arab Emirates.

Instead, Qatar, which will stage this year's FIFA World Cup, will be the first three-time host of the Asian Cup. Qatar earlier held the Asian Cup in 1988 and 2011.



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