Southeast Asian football escapes being shunned

A new chapter opens for Southeast Asian football as FIFA proposes to organize the FIFA ASEAN Cup - the region's first tournament in the international competition calendar.

Unlike the AFF Cup - a tournament that was established in 1996 but has always been criticized because it is not included in FIFA's competition schedule, causing many clubs to refuse to release their players - the FIFA ASEAN Cup promises to completely solve the biggest problem: the absence of top stars.

Football expert Zulakbal Abdul Karim commented: "Previously, many clubs did not allow players to participate in the AFF Cup because the tournament was not part of FIFA Days. But if the FIFA ASEAN Cup is officially recognized, the teams will have the strongest squads, and the quality of football in the region will certainly improve significantly."

According to Mr. Zulakbal, only Thailand and Vietnam have maintained their performance close to the continental level, while other football nations, including Malaysia, are still struggling to find a foothold. "The presence of FIFA can narrow that gap," he said.

Malaysia won the regional championship only once in 2010. With the new playground, Mr. Zulakbal believes that this is an opportunity for them to assert their position: "After returning to the Asian Cup in 2023, Malaysia needs to continue to maintain its momentum. To do so, they must dominate the ASEAN Cup like Thailand did. If they have the strongest force, this could be the beginning of a new era for Malaysian football and Southeast Asia."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the plan on October 26, saying the tournament is expected to bring together 11 ASEAN countries and will be built on the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 model, which was very successful.

FIFA will work closely with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) and member federations to finalize the competition format and structure.

Source: https://znews.vn/bong-da-dong-nam-a-thoat-canh-bi-hat-hui-post1597707.html