Tag: AFC Asian Cup 2027

Iran quietly pulls out from hosting AFC Asian Cup 2027!

While there was no confirmation or news from FFIRI, the Asian Football Confederation has removed the name of Iran as a candidate for hosting AFC Asian Cup 2027.

Iran, or specifically, FFIRI has sent the required documentation to the AFC and prepared an extensive file on the facilities, accommodations, and logistics in addition to culture and country attractions.  However, the withdrawal of Iran’s name while Saudi Arabia and India are the front runners for hosting is a bit of a mystery. Iran last hosted the competition in 1976 after it was the host in 1968 for the first time. Meanwhile, Qatar will be hosting the championship for the third time in 2027. It hosted the Asian Cup in 1988 and 2011 too.

India and Saudi Arabia have emerged as the final two bidders to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Tuesday.

The development came to the fore after Qatar was chosen as the host country for the AFC Asian Cup 2023. The next year’s continental men’s football showpiece was earlier set to be held in China but they withdrew, prompting AFC to look for new hosts.

Qatar, the reigning Asian champions, was earlier interested in hosting the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. But since the Qatar Football Association (QFA) is now hosting the 2023 edition, they dropped out of the 2027 race.

Uzbekistan and Iran, the two other countries interested in hosting the AFC Asian Cup 2027, officially withdrew their bids on December 14, 2020, and October 13, 2022, respectively.

The final decision about who will host the AFC Asian Cup 2027 will be taken by the AFC Congress at its next meeting scheduled in February 2023.

“In the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, we have two exemplary bids,” AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said.

If the AIFF wins the bid, it will be the first time that India will be hosting the marquee continental football tournament. Three-time champions Saudi Arabia are also bidding to host their maiden AFC Asian Cup.

The last edition of the AFC Asian Cup was held in the UAE in 2019. India exited the tournament in the group stages.

 

  • AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers: India results, scores and points table

Hashemi-Taba “AFC does not trust us”

The debate on Iran’s intention to apply to host the Asian Cup for the third time after the previously hosting the 1968 and 1976 tournaments, is heating up in Iran with many finding the idea as futile.

The former head of the Physical Education Organization was interviewed in “Iran Today” radio program on the subject of the country’s bid for AFC Asian Cup 2027 and said, “the AFC’s much prefers to award the hosting of the AFC Asian Cup to other countries rather than Iran, and that is why Iran will not host the event in 2027.”

Seyyed Mostafa Hashemi Taba, former head of the Physical Education Organization, commented “We can implement and manage such project, however, from what we have all witnessed in the last few years in the country, management of the clubs has caused disappointment and despair, as it seems that we do not have a competent cadre of managers who can proficiently run their clubs and succeed in their jobs that is what is happening now. Finally, we have not and cannot respond positively to AFC requests. We have been maneuvering and using all sorts of tricks to circumvent the AFC bylaws. Maybe we can finally modernize and complete the stadiums, some of which have taken 10 years to complete, and prepare them according to the standards of the AFC, however, that is not all”.

* The cat and mouse game would not work in Hosting.

“In the first place, they give a commitment to AFC & FIFA that women will be allowed to enter the stadium, but it is not possible to play cat and mouse game with this subject. It is not very clever to usher a selected group of women to the stadium in Tehran for a show, but not allow them to enter in another city. I don’t think we can meet the demands of AFC by such ploy.”

 * AFC does not trust us.

Hashemi Taba in the interview with “Iran Today” program of Radio Iran, emphasized the fact that FFIRI is a repeat offender, with so many cases of non-compliance, provision of false information, player’s registration inaccuracies and false data on Iranian clubs legibility, AFC has lost its trust”

“Even now The AFC does not trust us. When we are about to complete the documents, the AFC is not sure if we have provided accurate and correct information and even worst, they know that we cannot meet the demands and standards set by the international ruling bodies. AFC is looking for countries that have provided the necessary guarantees and have a clean sheet in their history. They go to a place where there is no problem and they are comfortable thinking that the country is doing the right thing. Just submitting the request in a bid to host the Asian Cup is not a big deal, any member country has the right to do so with for the Asian Football Confederation. All the countries around the Persian Gulf have the necessary facilities and can easily host such an event. Even East Asian countries are ready to compete. I think the motive behind the bid by FFIRI, as it seems we are on the verge of registration, is just to announce that we exist.

* The regime does not consider count the Asian Cup amongst the priorities

“One of the missions of the Islamic Revolution is to present ourselves in the world and not to isolate ourselves. Due to the various predicaments in the country and the region, and with the world’s great powers, I don’t think the authorities prioritize this, namely hosting the Asian Cup, as an essential part of the sports project. This is a kind of involvement with the international community and we just cannot act in the global arena the way we want and by the ideologies that we think are right. Some time ago, I heard that one of the gentlemen suggested we establish an Islamic FIFA (…), and 20 countries announced their willingness to join. When they mentioned the names of the 20 countries, it was immediately apparent that these countries already face problems in FIFA and had been subject to sanctions and suspensions! I think that these 20 countries want to become members of this Islamic FIFA to take money from us. We can go through the registration process, then organize and host a few small events that nobody cares for, but what then?”

 

Meanwhile, Qatar has officially announced its bid for the AFC Asian Cup 2027

Iran hosting of AFC Asian Cup 2027!

Recently there have been some reports, possibly leaked to the media by FFIRI, about Iran requesting the hosting of AFC Asian Cup 2027.  This suggestion has been carried by many media and sports publications.  The is article discusses whether this possibility is realistic or just another gag to entertain the Iranian fans under the lockdown of COVID-19.

For a starter, news, or rumors of  FFIRI application for Iran to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027 has been met by a wave of criticism from football fans and critics mainly targeting the Iranian federation’s action. This comes at a time when the Asian Football’s most prestigious event  (AFC Asian Cup) requires major resources and infrastructure while Iran’s football, in general, is in the midst of a major crisis that is unparalleled in the country and will probably take years to recover.

* Hosting under current infrastructure?

At first glance, attention needs to be drawn to stadiums with FIFA standards, which are not available in Iran, as Sheikh Salman, the AFC president, recently announced that to host the event, which will be 24 teams tournament, eight to ten stadiums will be required. Despite the construction of stadiums such as Imam Reza, Shohadaye Foolad and Naghshe Jehan, etc., Iran is still miles away from such a standard required for hosting.

* Logistics and accommodation

 The important issues are those related to the transportation, logistics, accommodation, and marketing in such competitions, which require high fortitude and cooperation of government agencies and cannot be done by an organization such as the Football Federation or the Ministry of Sports. A look at the list of requirements for each country to hold this event shows that Iran has not had a history of holding major events since 1976, that is 44 years ago when the competition had 8 teams and most matches were played in the state-of-the-art newly built Arayamehr Stadium.

The current sporting infrastructure has not developed efficiently since the revolution. War, Political environment, priorities, sanctions, and most importantly financial resources were poorly allocated for sports venues.  Unless one believes in a miracle, it is really difficult to envisage all the factors merging towards achieving the target of 10 stadia by 2027

* Poor facilities of host cities.

Of course, there will be other Iranian cities that will host the group matches. Not all efforts and resources would be channeled towards hosting in Tehran only. In the current state, there are many problems in terms of transportation, logistics, and sports infrastructure, across the main cities in Iran. Although some cities have good facilities such as Mashhad which has an international airport and modern subway system, it lacks a proper FIFA Standard stadium while other options such as Esfahan has a good stadium that can easily host matches, but their transportation facilities and accommodations lag behind.

The most vital of the facilities, accommodation is a problem in other cities as well. The lack of  5-star hotels in some cities, as well as the difficulties of obtaining customs and visa permits, and finally the ban on women’s presence in the stadiums culminate in a poor chance of hosting.

Naghshe Jehan Stadium, Esfahan.

* Advertising revenues and copyright laws.

In a strange system, in Iran, the broadcaster never pays the football federation. In fact, IRIB the government-owned broadcaster and the only authorized TV and Radio broadcaster had the audacity to claim that it should be the other way round as IRIB is doing football a favor by broadcasting matches!

In Iran, there is no Copyright laws either, at least not the way it is recognized and practiced internationally.  Clubs or the federation cannot claim nor count on revenues from companies who commercially use logos or other materials to sell their products. Therefore there are no official kits or jerseys by the clubs because cheaper products can be sold alongside genuine products without the protection or respect of copyrights.

While, the case of advertising revenues can be easily sorted out for the Asian Cup tournament, as the AFC has a solid and well laid down contractual clause that is legally binding, the copyright laws is well outside the football federation’s jurisdiction and AFC has no role to play in it. Copyright protection requires the government to initiate and produce legislation. It has to be passed as a law.  Then the suggested copyright law clauses need to be approved by the Majlis (parliament) and that in itself is not an easy task. The judiciary also needs to be on board and prosecute the offenders. Different government within governments like Pasdaran, Sepah, and the religious establishment will always have their own rules and understanding of any law. In brief, it is not an easy task to create copyright laws in Iran,  where chaotic political-religious system rules supreme.

Several attempts of the establishment of this law have failed, and it is unlikely that such laws will be established by 2027 or before.

* Financial and executive crisis in the Football Federation.

 Iran’s request for hosting the Asian Cup will be looked upon in association with the integrity, strength, legitimacy, and competency of the persons running the football federation. At the moment, FFIRI is in crisis and facing sanctions by FIFA for many issues but mainly due to government interference. With such shady administration, it is unlikely that many will vote for Iran while the administrators are busy saving their own skins.

Former FFIRI President, who has been outside Iran for many months, is under scrutiny for financial irregularities

 

 

 

in 2014, UAE won the hosting of the 2019 Asian Cup instead of Iran. The UAE, met the conditions and the requirements to host the event and was able to prepare for the competition in four years. It has a well-established copyright law that is strictly implemented. There are plenty of international airports that are served by hundreds of airlines, it had the ideal infrastructure, hotels, stadia, perfect road system, Trams(Dubai), and resources, so it was a no brainer for it to be chosen as hosts.

How is Iran compared now? will it have the chance this time with competition from Saudi Arabia and India?

Given the country’s economic situation and existing sanctions, the efforts required to establish or amend laws like copyright, intellectual property protection, women in the stadium, and the resources required to massively upgrade the stadiums in Tehran and other Iranian cities, the answer is a categorical NO.

There are far too many problems and issues for Iran’s hosting of major sporting events in the magnitude of the Asian Cup. Any such attempt by FFIRI to send the hosting file to AFC as a candidate for AFC Asian Cup 2027 will only be an embarrassment for Iran while it may serve as a propaganda tool for the current FFIRI administrators.

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