Will the FIFA ASEAN Cup cancel the AFF Cup, or will both tournaments continue?

Southeast Asian media outlets have reacted to FIFA's announcement of a new tournament involving all 11 ASEAN nations, so what will happen to the AFF Cup?

If both tournaments are held simultaneously, will the AFF Cup become a version of the FIFA ASEAN Cup?

The FIFA ASEAN Cup was created as a result of cooperation between the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the ASEAN bloc (Southeast Asian countries), following the signing of the ASEAN-FIFA Memorandum of Understanding during the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26.

The Vietnamese national team, the reigning AFF Cup champions, will have the opportunity to conquer the upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup title as well.

Photo: Dong Nguyen Khang

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the tournament was created to breathe new life into football in the region, and to symbolize the unity of ASEAN nations through the world's most popular sport .

"This will have an impact not only on Southeast Asia but also on the whole world," Gianni Infantino emphasized when speaking to reporters after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on football development between ASEAN and FIFA.

The previous memorandum of understanding between FIFA and ASEAN was signed in November 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Infantino described the memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the 11 ASEAN member states as "very special".

"The number 11 is symbolic in the world of football, because every team has 11 players. This tournament aims to create a real boost for football with the participation of the best players within the framework of FIFA's international schedule, so that football not only has an impact in the region but also shines worldwide. Football connects the world, and we are connecting the world together with the 11 ASEAN countries. The FIFA ASEAN Cup will be a great success in the region," Gianni Infantino affirmed.

The upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup, described as having a format similar to the highly successful FIFA Arab Cup, raises concerns about whether this new FIFA tournament will impact another long-standing regional competition in Southeast Asia, the AFF Cup.

The Indonesian national team has high expectations for the FIFA ASEAN Cup, as they will be able to call up their best naturalized players to compete.

Photo: Reuters

Journalist and long-time regional football commentator Rhysh Roshan Rai wondered: "Will the FIFA ASEAN Cup be the same as the AFF Cup? Or is it just the AFF Cup held during FIFA Days so that players are allowed by their clubs to return to their national teams to play?"

I think it will be the second tournament (the AFF Cup) which takes place during FIFA Days and will be organized by FIFA and AFF (Southeast Asian Football Confederation). I'm not sure if we'll have the resources to host both Southeast Asian championships. I don't know how these tournaments will be organized."

Meanwhile, journalist Deepanraj Ganesan of The Straits Times (Singapore) expressed: "If the FIFA ASEAN Cup is created and officially organized according to FIFA standards, the AFF Cup could be abolished. Therefore, I also question what significance the FIFA ASEAN Cup will have for the AFF Cup?"

Journalist T. Avineshwaran of The Star (Malaysia) has high expectations that the FIFA ASEAN Cup will breathe new life into regional football, which has long focused on the AFF Cup. The fact that the tournament is not included in FIFA Days always makes it difficult for teams to achieve their participation goals.

"FIFA will consult with all football stakeholders in the region, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the AFF, and FIFA member federations of ASEAN member countries, with the official format of the tournament to be finalized in the near future. This is good news, something to look forward to. Hopefully, this tournament will give a new impetus to the development of football in the region," journalist T. Avineshwaran assessed.

Indonesian media are also extremely excited about the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, believing it to be a great opportunity for their national team to win the Southeast Asian regional tournament. This is because, for a long time, the Indonesian team has been unable to call up their best naturalized players for the AFF Cup, as the tournament does not fall within FIFA Days.

Therefore, when the FIFA ASEAN Cup was created and included in FIFA's international match calendar, Indonesia was probably the happiest team in the region, as they could field a very strong squad with a number of naturalized players of Dutch origin such as Jay Idzes (Sassuolo, Italy), Calvin Verdonk (Lille, France), Kevin Diks (Borussia Monchengladbach, Germany) and Emil Audero (Cremonese, Italy)...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/fifa-asean-cup-se-khai-tu-aff-cup-hay-ca-2-giai-cung-dien-ra-185251027082222714.htm