Kuala Lumpur, October 17 (QNA) - The State of Qatar won bid to host the 18th edition of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup during the 11th AFC Executive Committee meeting, which was held Monday at the headquarters of the the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa congratulated the QFA on their successful bid.

After handing over the hosting rights certificate to HE President of Qatar Football Association (QFA) Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said "On behalf of the AFC and the Asian football family, I want to congratulate the Qatar Football Association on being awarded the hosting rights of the upcoming edition of the AFC Asian Cup.

"Qatars capabilities and track record in hosting major international sporting events and their meticulous attention to detail are well admired throughout the globe," Al Khalifa added .

He said that "given the short lead time in preparation, we know that the hard work begins immediately but with their existing world-class infrastructure and unrivalled hosting capabilities, we are confident that Qatar will stage a worthy spectacle befitting the prestige and stature of Asias crown jewel." Al Khalifa also conveyed the appreciation of the Asian football family to the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the Korea Football Association (KFA) for their commendable proposals.

"I must also commend the AFC for showcasing utmost professionalism in conducting a fair and transparent expedited bidding process and I thank all our commercial partners and sponsors for their patience during these unprecedented times," he added.

Qatar are the reigning AFC Asian Cup champions and will be hosting the Continents most prestigious mens tournament for the third time after staging the 1988 and 2011 editions. Qatar is also preparing to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, which has strengthened the Qatari bid and made it stand on solid ground in terms of full logistics. Qatar now have a great legacy inherent in sports facilities and sports expertise as well, both administrative and technical, by hosting many different sporting events over the past years. 

The AFC Executive Committee deliberated upon the bidding proposals for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and shortlisted the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) as the final two bidders with the hosting decision to be taken by the AFC Congress at its next meeting in February 2023.

The decision brings to a close the bid proposal of the QFA who were considered to have withdrawn from the 2027 race following their successful 2023 bid in accordance with the applicable bidding regulations.

Football Australia withdrew from the AFC Asian Cup 2023 bidding process on Sep. 1, 2022, while the Uzbekistan Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran officially withdrew their bids to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027 on Dec. 14, 2020, and Oct. 13, 2022, respectively.

The AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa added: "In the All India Football Federation and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, we have two exemplary bids, and I am confident that the Qatar Football Association will strengthen the foundations for the eventual 2027 hosts to build upon."

The AFC Executive Committee ratified the decisions of all the Standing Committees since its last meeting, most notably the AFC Competitions Committee's recommendation to award the hosting rights of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024 to the QFA.

The date of the 18th edition of the tournament will be officially revealed later.

Last May, China apologized for organizing the AFC Asian Cup 2023 due to its policy to limit the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, as the tournament was scheduled to be held in 10 Chinese cities, from June 16 to July 16, 2023, with the participation of 24 teams.

Japan is the most successful team in the tournament with four titles, the last of which was in the 2011 edition in Doha, one behind Saudi Arabia and Iran. South Korea comes in the third place with two titles, while the Qatari team won the continental championship for the first time in their history in the last edition held in the UAE in 2019, becoming the fourth Arab and Gulf team to win the Asian title after Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. (QNA)