KUALA LUMPUR — Australia, South Korea and Kuwait have formally indicated their interest in hosting the 2035 Asian Cup, in addition to submitting bids for the 2031 edition, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced today.
The AFC is expected to confirm the hosts for both tournaments at a single annual congress, following a proposal by AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa to streamline the selection process.
Japan has also expressed interest in staging the 2035 tournament, but is not in contention for the 2031 edition.
“The AFC will now engage with the respective BMAs (bidding member associations) to coordinate the submission of the required bidding documentation,” the governing body said in a statement.
Apart from Australia, South Korea and Kuwait, three other bids have been lodged for the 2031 Asian Cup.
India and Indonesia are in the race, alongside a joint Central Asian bid from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
The United Arab Emirates, which hosted the tournament in 2019, had initially entered the bidding process for 2031 but withdrew in November.
Saudi Arabia will host the next Asian Cup in 2027. – February 4, 2026