Historic decision of Southeast Asian football

Southeast Asian football entered a new historical page when FIFA announced the birth of the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Acting President Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi called it a "historic milestone not only for Southeast Asian football, but also for Malaysia, the host country of this memorable moment".

Mr. Yusoff emphasized that FIFA's official recognition and organization of the tournament for Southeast Asian teams opens a new chapter of hope, while creating opportunities to improve professional quality as the tournament will be included in FIFA's official competition schedule.

"We believe that, with the consensus of member countries and the leadership of FIFA, the FIFA ASEAN Cup will become a symbol of the rise of Southeast Asian football on the world map," he said.

However, the head of FAM also cautiously said that the tournament is still in the preliminary discussion stage, needing more time to agree on details about the format, competition schedule and venue.

Experts are still questioning how the new tournament will be organized and whether it will "clash with the schedule" of the AFF Cup - a traditional tournament called the ASEAN Hyundai Cup from 2026. FIFA has not announced a specific coordination mechanism, nor how to allocate time during the international competition year.

Observers say that if properly organized, the FIFA ASEAN Cup could become a revolutionary turning point, helping the region escape the confines of a purely regional playground and move towards global status.

Source: https://znews.vn/quyet-dinh-lich-su-cua-bong-da-dong-nam-a-post1597391.html