ASEAN Cup is raised to a new level when FIFA joins the organization?

(NLDO) - The signing ceremony of the new phase of cooperation Memorandum of Understanding between FIFA and ASEAN was also the time to announce the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

At the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation and announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup - a regional tournament to promote football development in Southeast Asia.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left cover) at the announcement of the FIFA ASEAN Cup

With the new name, the FIFA ASEAN Cup will be upgraded to a more professional level when the national teams of the Southeast Asian region obviously possess a strong force to compete. Previously, the ASEAN Cup (formerly the AFF Cup) was a Southeast Asian regional tournament that was not under the FIFA management system.

In the most recent tournament, the Vietnamese team with a strong and excellent force won the championship. However, the journey to the championship of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team was quite smooth when opponents such as Thailand, Indonesia or Malaysia used young players, missing many key players because their home clubs did not release them.

Despite winning the ASEAN Cup 2024 with an unbeaten record of 7 wins and 1 draw, the Vietnamese team did not receive points on the FIFA rankings because the tournament is not under the FIFA management system.

Vietnam team crowned ASEAN Cup 2024

When FIFA launched the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a playground for national teams from FIFA member associations in the Southeast Asian region, the results of the matches in this tournament will be counted on the FIFA rankings.

In addition, the FIFA ASEAN Cup will take place on FIFA Day occasions and require clubs to release players to the national team.

“The FIFA ASEAN Cup will be a highlight of the regional football calendar, providing the best players in Southeast Asia with the opportunity to shine on the international stage. Through the FIFA ASEAN Cup, we are uniting the countries in the region, while also raising the level of national football and developing the sports movement across Southeast Asia,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expects the FIFA ASEAN Cup to become the most prestigious playground in Southeast Asia.

Many people are wondering whether the ASEAN Cup will be "erased" when the FIFA ASEAN Cup appears. These two tournaments belong to two different management systems. If the FIFA ASEAN Cup gathers key players to compete, the ASEAN Cup can become a playground for Southeast Asian national youth teams.

In fact, many famous players in Southeast Asia show a lack of enthusiasm for the national team. Many famous players have the view of limiting injuries and preserving their physical condition when competing for the national team in order to focus on their home club - the source of regular salary and bonus payments.

In addition to the Vietnamese team, teams like Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have many naturalized players and domestic players playing abroad. Some of them did not give their all when participating in the recent ASEAN Cup, but were very enthusiastic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers or the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

FIFA will work closely with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) and FIFA member federations of ASEAN countries to unify the competition format of the FIFA ASEAN Cup in the coming time.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/asean-cup-duoc-nang-tam-khi-fifa-tham-gia-to-chuc-196251028114850295.htm