China Pulls Out of Hosting AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2022
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Chinese football federation pulled out of hosting the men's Under-23 Asian Cup in 2022.
The Asian Football Confederation says Chinese officials cited "scheduling conflicts, stadium completion timelines ahead of other international events and challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic."
A total of 16 teams will compete in the tournament. South Korea are the defending champion.
China will host the 2023 Asian Cup in new or renovated stadiums. The country is also scheduled to host FIFA's expanded Club World Cup. That tournament was postponed from June 2021 to a date yet to be decided.
The AFC says it will re-open bidding for the under-23 tournament. The AFC also postponed this year's indoor futsal championship to next year “in response to the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Kuwait."
