Hong Kong, May 14 (BNA): China has relinquished its rights to host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup finals due to the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the Asian Football Confederation announced today, Saturday.
Reuters said the event, which takes place every four years and features 24 national teams from across the continent, was scheduled to take place in 10 cities from June 16 to July 16 next year.
“Following extensive discussions with the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the AFC has been officially informed by the CFA that it will not be able to host the 2023 Asian Cup,” the federation said in a statement.
“The AFC acknowledges the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to China relinquishing its hosting rights.”
The Asian Football Confederation said a decision on hosting the tournament would be revealed in due course.
The Asian Cup is the latest international sporting event to be affected by China’s attempts to tackle the epidemic.
Earlier this month, Asian Games organizers postponed the Olympic Council of Asia’s next edition of the multi-sport event, scheduled to be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September, until 2023.
China continues to implement a COVID-free policy and cities across the country faced severe restrictions as a result of the recent Omicron variant outbreak.
Shanghai has been under lockdown for more than a month while other cities, including the capital, Beijing, face a wave of additional restrictions, frequent testing and targeted lockdowns.
Most international sporting events in China have been postponed or canceled since the start of the epidemic, with the exception of the Winter Olympics, which were held in Beijing under strict health controls in February.
The Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix has not been held since 2019, while the WTA events have been suspended due to a standoff over Chinese player Peng Shuai’s safety concerns.
China is scheduled to host four ATP tournaments this year, including the Shanghai Masters and the China Open in October.
The Chinese Super League has yet to announce when the new football season will start.
The Chinese Football Association also gave up its right to host the East Asian Championship in July, with that tournament now taking place in Japan.
China was scheduled to host the Asian Cup for the first time since 2004, when the national team lost in the final at Beijing Workers’ Stadium to Japan.
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