Organizer Calls Indonesia To Host The U-16 And U-19 AFF Cups

Illustration of Indonesian national team players (Photo: PSSI)

JAKARTA - The age group AFF Cup which will be held this year is getting closer. Indonesia is said to have the opportunity to host one of the FIFA agenda.

On its official website, the AFF released five agendas for the AFF Cup in various age groups which Brunei Darussalam will participate in. Two of them, namely the U-16 and U-19 AFF Cups, are said to be held in Indonesia.

Brunei Darussalam is listed as the host of the 2022 AFF U-23 Cup. Meanwhile, Thailand will host the AFF Futsal Cup both club and state championships.

"FA Brunei Darussalam (FABD) has stated its intention to participate in five competitions organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) this year," the official AFF release said.

However, the confirmation of Brunei's participation is still subject to their government's approval of regulations for traveling abroad given the current COVID-19 condition.

Unlike the AFF Cup for the senior team which started in 1996, the AFF U-16 and U-19 Cups were only held in 2002. However, Indonesia has a good record because it has won the tournament.

The U-19 national team once tasted the championship trophy in the 2013 AFF Cup. At that time, Evan Dimas Darmono and his friends succeeded in defeating Vietnam through a penalty shootout with a score of 7-6 at the Delta Sidoarjo Stadium, Indonesia.

The U-16 national team successfully won the 2018 AFF Cup title after conquering Thailand at the same stadium. This time it was in the era of Bagus Kahfi and his friends who won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

With this sweet note, Indonesia has a great opportunity to repeat the success of becoming a champion when it was the host of the AFF Cup age group.