How will the FIFA ASEAN Cup be held?

The upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup, organized by FIFA specifically for Southeast Asia, has garnered significant public attention. So, how will it unfold?

FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents a commemorative flag to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn - Photo: FIFA

At the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26, the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in football development between the two organizations.

Notably, FIFA announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a tournament for national teams from FIFA member federations in Southeast Asia.

For now, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has only stated that the FIFA ASEAN Cup will be organized on the model of the FIFA Arab Cup.

The competition format will be developed in close coordination between FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), and FIFA member federations in ASEAN countries in the near future.

Should the ASEAN Cup be abolished?

The ASEAN Cup is a traditional football tournament in Southeast Asia, held every two years. First held in 1996 under the name Tiger Cup, it was later renamed the AFF Cup (2007-2022) and the ASEAN Cup 2024. The Vietnamese national team is the reigning champion.

Therefore, the introduction of the FIFA ASEAN Cup (organized by FIFA) has led the public, especially Vietnamese football fans, to wonder: will the ASEAN Cup (organized by AFF) still exist?

Algeria celebrates winning the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 - Photo: AFP

Based on how FIFA intervened in the organization of the Arab Cup in 2021, it seems that the ASEAN Cup will still continue, but will be elevated to FIFA standards, no longer a tournament where clubs don't need to release players to their national teams.

The Arab Cup is getting more exciting thanks to FIFA.

The Arab Cup is organized by the United Arab Emirates (UAFA). Established in 1963, the tournament is held every four years.

The tournament was interrupted twice for extended periods due to war and lack of sponsors. Therefore, as of 2012, the tournament had only been held nine times.

Seeing the immense potential for both football and commerce here, FIFA organized the 10th edition of the tournament in 2021, under the name FIFA Arab Cup. With FIFA's involvement, this tournament has become a true football festival.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans from Qatar, the Middle East, and around the world flocked to Qatar to cheer on their teams and enjoy a fantastic tournament.

Qatar fans at the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 - Photo: FIFA

According to FIFA statistics, 631,742 tickets were sold for 32 matches, even though stadium capacity was limited to 80% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these, Qatari citizens accounted for 89% of ticket purchases, with the remainder being international tourists.

The match with the largest attendance at the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 was the quarter-final between Qatar and the UAE, with 63,439 people – a national record at the time for the number of spectators for a sporting event.

The FIFA Arab Cup 2025 will take place from December 1st to 18th in Qatar, featuring 16 teams. In its second year, FIFA continues to expect this tournament to grow even further.

Looking forward to the FIFA ASEAN Cup

Prior to 2021, the Arab Cup was not part of FIFA's schedule (FIFA Days). However, since FIFA became the organizing body, the tournament has automatically been included in FIFA Days. Clubs are obligated to release their players to their national teams when participating in the FIFA Arab Cup.

Similarly, the AFF Cup and ASEAN Cup have never been included in the FIFA calendar. In many previous AFF Cup tournaments, Thailand and Indonesia were unable to bring their best players, whether playing abroad or domestically, because their clubs refused to release them.

Therefore, when FIFA takes the lead in organizing the upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup, it will undoubtedly be something to look forward to. The participating teams will field their best players, enhancing the quality of the matches and providing fans with even more exciting games.

Moreover, with its organizational technology, FIFA promises to elevate the tournament, which is currently at the bottom of the world football rankings.

At that time, the only difficulty for the Vietnamese team in their journey to conquer the championship was winning. But the more difficult the challenge, the more deserving the championship would be.

NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/fifa-asean-cup-se-dien-ra-the-nao-20251028093143863.htm