South Korea in 5-way fight to stage football’s Asian Cup and end 61-year hosting streak
Contest shapes up as battle between Koreans and two Gulf bidders looking to keep tournament in Middle East
South Korea’s decision to enter the race for football’s 2031 Asian Cup hosting rights looks set to reignite a bidding battle between the eastern powerhouse and influential Gulf states as the nation seeks to organise the tournament for the first time since 1960.
The Koreans announced their bid on Friday, confirming remarks by Korea Football Association president Chung Myung-gyu prior to his re-election that the country would seek once again to reclaim rights that have eluded it for decades.
The deadline for expressions of interest passed on Friday night and Chung’s administration, which recently faced down a scandal over the appointment of national team coaches, faces a five-way fight for hosting rights.
South Korea’s last bid came was a failed attempt to run the 2023 finals as a replacement host when China withdrew and it lost out to Qatar, which ended up staging the event in early 2024.
With the United Arab Emirates hosting the 2019 edition and Saudi Arabia set to organise the next tournament in 2027, the prospect of four consecutive finals in the Middle East looms.
