Saudi Arabia wins bid to host 2027 Asian Cup
Saudi Arabia has won a bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Wednesday.
At the AFC Congress in Manama, Bahrain, the announcement was made.
After India pulled out in December, Saudi Arabia was the only bidder.
Following the announcement, the sports minister of the kingdom, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, stated, “We are excited to deliver the greatest tournament in the competition’s history.”
“We are filled with excitement for what the kingdom will look like in 2027”: “The kingdom is transforming before our eyes.”
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has invested hundreds of millions in sports deals, including the purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jeddah-based Formula One, and the lucrative LIV Golf tour.
Saudi Arabia will hold the women’s Asian Cup, the Asian Games of Olympic size, and even the Asian Winter Games on artificial snow in the coming years, after watching neighboring Qatar host the World Cup in November and December.
A World Cup, Summer Olympics, and possibly even Winter Olympics are among the other major events that the desert kingdom is considering.
All of this is a big part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s grand plans to modernize the Saudi economy and get rid of its reliance on oil before the world switches to other fuels.
At the Manama Congress, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated, “I’m sure Saudi Arabia will host a fantastic Asian Cup.”
Qatar will hold the 2023 Asian Cup as its host. It was initially planned to be held in China, but China withdrew due to Covid.
Every four years, the Asian Cup is held. The United Arab Emirates hosted the previous tournament, which Qatar won in 2019.
Three AFC Asian Cup titles have been won by Saudi Arabia.
