BEIJING – China will no longer host the 2023 Asian Cup finals due to the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Saturday, adding that it will decide on a new host in due course.
The event, which is played every four years and features 24 national teams from across the continent, was due to be held in 10 cities from June 16 to July 16 next year.
“The Asian Football Confederation has been officially informed by the CFA (Chinese Football Association) that it would not be able to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023,” the confederation said in a statement according to Reuters.
“The AFC acknowledges the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the relinquishment by China PR of its hosting rights.”
The news was one of the top trending topics on Chinese social media site Weibo on Saturday, generating nearly 60 million reads within a few hours.
Many readers said the move may mean the country’s zero COVID policy could remain in place well into next year, while others questioned what will happen to the 10 stadiums constructed or renovated for the competition.
Others joked that the move was good for the much-maligned men’s national team, who currently sit 77th in the FIFA world rankings.
“Now the national team has plenty of time to improve. Keep working hard,” wrote a user called MrClock in a top-rated comment.
The Asian Cup is the latest international sporting event to be affected by China’s attempts to tackle the pandemic.
Earlier this month, Asian Games organisers the Olympic Council of Asia postponed the next edition of the multi-sport event, due to be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September, until 2023.
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