Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, March 5, 2025: The Kyrgyz Football Union, together with the Football Associations of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, plans to host the 2031 Asian Cup.
An initial expression of interest to host the tournament was sent to the Asian Football Confederation on February 24, the KFU stated.
“It will be a great honour for us to jointly host the main football tournament of the continent with other Central Asian countries. This will strengthen friendly ties with neighbouring states and enhance the international image of Kyrgyzstan,” said KFU President Kamchybek Tashiev.
The full process of submitting an application to host the Asian Cup consists of several stages and will take some time.
According to AFC requirements, the stadium hosting the final and the opening ceremony of the Asian Cup must be able to accommodate a minimum of 50,000 spectators. The Bishkek Arena stadium, under construction and expected to be completed in 2026, has a capacity of 51,000.
At the moment, Kuwait, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates have also announced their intention to host the 2031 tournament, reported the Kyrgyz National News Agency.
All three countries have previously hosted the Asian showpiece – Kuwait in 1980, UAE in 1996 and 2019 and Indonesia in 2007 jointly with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The AFC will decide the host of the tournament in 2026.
The next Asian Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2027.
Qatar is the reigning Asian champion.
Photo: KFU