UAE to host 2019 Asian Cup
Print Edition
THE United Arab Emirates was, as expected, named host of the 2019 Asian Cup after beating outsider Iran to stage the expanded 24-team tournament.
The Asian Football Confederation announced the safe bet decision after a meeting of its executive committee in Bahrain yesterday.
Iran’s hopes were always hindered by the unwillingness to allow women to attend matches at home, a decision FIFA president Sepp Blatter labelled “intolerable” on Friday after he claimed he had been given hope in 2013 that it would be overturned.
Iran is also subject to western sanctions over its nuclear program, which has made it difficult for the country’s football association to host friendly matches, a vital source of income for the federation, which has hit the men’s team.
The UAE has proved to be a safe pair of hands in organizing global soccer events, having staged the 2009 and 2010 FIFA Club World Cups and the FIFA under-17 World Cup in 2013.
The UAE and Iran were the only candidates to host the Asian Cup after early interest from China, Bahrain, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Thailand and Saudi Arabia failed to materialize into a concrete bid.
The UAE will use six stadiums in three cities, two in Abu Dhabi, two in Dubai and the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Ain, for the event.
It will be the second time the UAE has hosted Asia’s premier tournament after it staged the then 12-team event in 1996 where the home team lost in the final on penalties to Saudi Arabia. Iran held the event twice in 1968 and 1976, going on to win it on both occasions.
The UAE finished third at the Asian Cup in Australia in January, the last 16-team edition.
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