After Qatar Hosted The 2023 Asian Cup, AFC Thanked PSSI

AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (center) said FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) (Photo: AFC.com)

JAKARTA - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed its gratitude to the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) after Qatar was officially appointed to host the 2023 Asian Cup.

Through the official website, the AFC ensures that next year's Asian Cup will take place in Qatar. The appointment of Qatar automatically invalidated Indonesia and South Korea, which previously also participated in the bidding process.

AFC expressed its gratitude for the willingness of Indonesia and South Korea to express interest in hosting it for 2023.

"On behalf of the AFC and Asian football families, I would like to congratulate the Qatari Football Association on its right to host the upcoming edition of the Asian Cup," said AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

"We must also thank the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and the Korean Football Association (KFA) for expressing their desire to hold a tournament," he continued, quoted from the AFC website.

The 2023 Asian Cup is scheduled to take place from June 16 to July 16. Qatar was chosen after the previous host, China, declared its resignation.

After China declared its resignation, the AFC opened up opportunities for other countries interested in hosting it. Qatar, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia are the four countries that have expressed a willingness to host the 2023 Asian Cup.

However, in the bidding process, Australia withdrew, leaving three countries as potential hosts of the Asian football party. Until finally Qatar was chosen as the host.

With Qatar's selection as host of the 2023 Asian Cup, it will be the third-largest football tournament in Asia to be held in the country with the capital Doha after 1988 and 2011.