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Exclusive | Hong Kong Football Association prepares ‘sports bubble’ protocols in bid to host Champions League as Covid-19 cases ease
- 300 players, officials will be allowed to skip 21-day quarantine if city wins bid to host tournaments
- Government sources tell Post officials are fully behind idea to host Asian Football Confederation tournaments
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Hong Kong is preparing a “sports bubble” to host two international football tournaments in April and May that could allow 300 overseas players and officials into the city without undergoing quarantine.
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Government sources told the Post that the Home Affairs Bureau “fully backed” the Hong Kong Football Association’s (HKFA) bid to host the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments, and were seeking the agreement of health authorities to lift the travel ban and mandatory 21-day quarantine requirements for visiting players and officials.
“It’s the right time to send a signal that Hong Kong is ready to resume international mega events in a controlled environment,” a source familiar with the situation said.
The two tournaments involve more than 300 overseas players, coaches and officials from eight teams, including from mainland China, Thailand, Taiwan and Mongolia. Three Hong Kong football clubs will also participate – Kitchee in the AFC Champions League, and Eastern Long Lions and Lee Man in the AFC Cup tournament.
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The confederation, the governing body for football in Asia and Australia, is expected to decide as early as next week on the host city for 12 matches of the AFC Champions League 2021, the highest level of competition in Asia, and six matches of the AFC Cup 2021. The games will be held over three weeks from April 14 to May 7.
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