The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has successfully concluded the comprehensive bidding processes for nations aspiring to host the prestigious AFC Asian Cup in both 2031 and 2035.
Last year, an unprecedented seven AFC member associations initially stepped forward to express their keen interest in becoming the host nation for the AFC Asian Cup 2031. These seven associations diligently submitted their official candidacies prior to the stipulated deadline of March 31, 2025. This significant level of interest established a new record for host candidacies for the continent’s premier football tournament.
Among the ambitious nations initially vying for the 2031 tournament were Indonesia, alongside Australia, India, South Korea, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and a groundbreaking joint bid from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
However, the landscape of the 2031 bid has since shifted. The United Arab Emirates Football Association ultimately decided to withdraw its candidacy from the competitive race. As a result, the roster of candidates now comprises six AFC member associations. The AFC officially announced the UAE’s withdrawal on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, as confirmed on its official website.
Of these six formidable contenders, only Australia, South Korea, and Kuwait possess prior experience as sole hosts of the AFC Asian Cup. Indonesia, a prominent contender, previously co-hosted the Asian Cup in its 2027 edition alongside Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Intriguingly, neither the Central Asian nations – which gained AFC membership in 1994 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union – nor India, have ever had the honour of staging this flagship tournament since its inception in Hong Kong in 1956.
In a parallel development, and as part of the same announcement, the AFC also unveiled the shortlist of nations bidding to host the 2035 AFC Asian Cup. This dual bidding approach follows a strategic proposal by AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who advocated for the simultaneous selection of hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 tournaments.
The AFC initiated the call for bids for the 2035 edition on August 27, 2025, with the submission window closing on December 31, 2025. An AFC statement elaborated: “The bidding process for the 2031 AFC Asian Cup concluded last year, drawing strong interest from across the continent. Subsequently, and in line with the forward-thinking approach of the AFC President, invitations to bid for the 2035 edition were circulated to Member Associations (MA) on August 27, 2025, with the submission window closing on December 31.”
As a result, four nations have formally submitted their proposals to host the 2035 AFC Asian Cup. Notably, three of these countries are also contenders for the 2031 event. The quartet of hopeful host nations includes football powerhouses Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Kuwait.
The AFC Asian Cup, Asia’s premier football competition, is held every four years. The next eagerly anticipated edition is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early 2027. The last edition, which was the 2023 tournament postponed and played in early 2024, was successfully hosted by Qatar. This marked a historic moment as it featured an expanded format with 24 participating teams for the first time. The 2023 edition itself saw a six-month delay from its original schedule due to China’s earlier withdrawal as the initial host.
Summary
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has concluded comprehensive bidding processes for nations aspiring to host the AFC Asian Cup in both 2031 and 2035. Initially, seven member associations, including Indonesia, expressed interest in hosting the 2031 tournament. Following the withdrawal of the United Arab Emirates, six contenders now remain: Indonesia, Australia, India, South Korea, Kuwait, and a joint bid from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Australia, South Korea, and Kuwait have prior experience as sole hosts, while Indonesia co-hosted in 2007.
In a parallel development, and as part of a strategic proposal, the AFC also opened bids for the 2035 edition simultaneously, with four nations submitting proposals. Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Kuwait are vying to host the 2035 tournament, with three of them also contending for 2031. The next edition of the AFC Asian Cup, Asia’s premier football competition held every four years, is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.