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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competitions Committee for the 2023 to 2027 term met today and discussed several strategic matters with the aim of further enhancing the AFC competitions at its second meeting held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Led by Chairperson Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan, the Committee gave careful consideration on the future of the AFC Solidarity Cup, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic with the next edition originally scheduled for 2024.
The Committee noted that the revamped qualification format for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ meant that more participating Member Associations, particularly the lower ranked teams, now have more exposure and opportunities to compete in top-level matches over a longer period of time.
In essence, members of the Committee agreed that the revamped qualification format dovetailed with the initial objectives of the AFC Solidarity Cup and consequently, agreed to remove the AFC Solidarity Cup from the Confederation’s portfolio of competitions effective immediately.
At the same time, the Committee also agreed to give its consent to Brunei DPMM FC to participate in the 2024/2025 season of the Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup, with the matter to be referred to FIFA for final approval.
Members of the Committee will also hold a meeting with the AFC Professional Football Taskforce later today with the strategic reforms to the AFC Competitions forming a key part of the agenda. The updates to the Bidding Process of the AFC Champions League Elite – Final Stage will also be shared with a decision on the host to be communicated in due course.
All decisions will need to be ratified by the AFC Executive Committee to take effect.
