Qatar’s credibility in the global sports arena reached another landmark when the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced yesterday that the Gulf State will host the 18th Asian Cup in 2023 – the first nation to host the tournament three times after staging the 1988 and 2011 editions.
Qatar had initially bid for the 2027 edition but opted in for the 2023 edition after the previous host China withdrew from staging the tourney due to its ‘zero Covid-19’ policy. The tournament was due to be held in 10 Chinese cities from June 16 to July 16 next year. Qatar edged out South Korea and Indonesia bringing to a close the bid proposal of the QFA following the successful 2023 bid following the applicable bidding regulations.
In recent years, Qatar has hosted several significant football events, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020, the knockout stages and most of the group stage matches of the Asian Champions League in 2020 (due to Covid-19).
The biggest football fiesta, the FIFA World Cup, is less than one month away, with all eight stadiums and infrastructure already in place and running. The 2023 Asian Cup will give Qatar’s stadiums more purpose post-2022.
According to AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Qatar’s capabilities and track record in hosting major international sporting events and meticulous attention to detail are well admired throughout the globe.
“Given the short lead time in preparation, we know that the hard work begins immediately, but with their existing world-class infrastructure and unrivalled hosting capabilities, we are confident that Qatar will stage a worthy spectacle befitting the prestige and stature of Asia’s crown jewel,” Shaikh Salman said in a statement after the announcement.
In statements to the press today, Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani said that after the withdrawal of China, Qatar’s duty became to apply to host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
He added that the situation on the Asian continent required Qatar to be at the heart of an event like the Asian Cup, especially since Qatar will organise the World Cup from November 20, thus taking advantage of the potential facilities and stadiums that host the World Cup at the continental level.
Besides football, several sports events like the 2023 World Judo Championships, and the 21st FINA World Championships Doha 2024, among others, Qatar continues to strengthen it’s place as a global sports hub.
