2007 AFC Asian Cup: Difference between revisions
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* [http://www.AFCAsianCup.com Official Website of the 2007 Asian Cup] |
* [http://www.AFCAsianCup.com Official Website of the 2007 Asian Cup] |
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* [http://www.rsssf.com/tables/07asch.html Asian Cup 2007 at RSSSF] |
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tables/07asch.html Asian Cup 2007 at RSSSF] |
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* http://www.fifafootball.org |
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Revision as of 07:52, 21 May 2006
Template:Future sport The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 Asian Cup finals will be held in July 2007 (Starting on July 7, 2007, ending on July 29, 2007). For the first time in its history (and perhaps in any sporting event), the competition will be co-hosted by four nations – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Asian Cup has been held once every four years from 1956 onwards, the last of which held in China in 2004. However, as the Summer Olympic Games and the European Football Championship are also held in the same year as the Asian Cup (2004, 2008, 2012 etc.), the sporting calendar is somewhat crowded. The AFC have thus decided to change their tradition, and will be holding the next tournament in 2007, and every four years henceforth from that date.
Qualification for the finals is well underway.
History
The Asian Cup is the premier national football event in the Asia and is organised by the Asian Football Confederation. The qualifying phase of the 2007 tournament will be held between 22 February and 15 November, 2006. The four hosts, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam qualified automatically but for the first time, the defending champions (In this case Japan), will have to go through the qualifying round.
In June 2005, the Asian Football Confederation warned Thailand that it needed to improve its facilities before 2007, otherwise it would be dropped, possibly being replaced with Singapore[1]. However, on August 12, the AFC confirmed that Thailand will be a co-host of the 2007 Asian Cup [2].
Four hosts
The decision to have four host nations for this edition of the Asian Cup was proposed and presented to the executive committee by AFC president Mohammed Bin Hammam. However, he later regretted this decision and calling it his "mistake". This was due to the financial and logistic difficulties in organising an event across four countries.
He said that "It is proving very difficult for [the executive committee as they] have to have four organising committees, four media centres and there are also financial considerations." He also revealed that "[He would] definitely [not do] it again," if he had the choice.
Qualification
See Asian Cup 2007 (qualification).
So far the following teams have qualified for the final tournament:
- Indonesia qualified automatically as co-host.
- Malaysia qualified automatically as co-host.
- Thailand qualified automatically as co-host.
- Vietnam qualified automatically as co-host.
12 other teams will join them by 15 November, 2006.