Kuala Lumpur: China has relinquished its hosting rights of AFC Asian Cup 2023, following the Covid-19 situation in the country, the Asian Football Confederation said on Saturday.
“Following extensive discussions with the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has been officially informed by the CFA that it would not be able to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023,” AFC said in a statement.
“The AFC acknowledges the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the relinquishment by China of its hosting rights,” it added.
China was appointed as hosts of the Asian Cup 2023 in 2019, at the AFC Extraordinary Congress in Paris. The 24-team competition was to be hosted across 10 Chinese cities from June 16 to July 16, 2023.
