After days of waiting, 2022 Qatar
World Cup
The group draw for the Asian qualifying round of 12 has finally been announced, and there are less than two months left in the build-up to the first match. However, in the shadow of the new Crown Pneumonia outbreak, the
national soccer team
The dust still hasn't settled on the home field of the
AFC Secretary General Windsor John recently made it clear that the 12-team tournament must be played in accordance with FIFA's designated International Match Day, and that the tournament system must not be used, but only the home-and-away system. At the same time, he also expressed his desire to have fans at the matches.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) had originally planned to make Suzhou the home of the Top 12 tournament. After previously hosting the China-Korea
women's soccer
Suzhou has done an excellent job in safeguarding the Olympic qualifiers as well as the Top 40 matches, earning the trust of the FA and the fans. In the midst of the epidemic, Suzhou has accumulated a wealth of experience in hosting international matches and should theoretically be able to meet the demands of the Top 12. However, Suzhou will still have to host the Chinese Super League in July and August, and may also have to host the AFC Cup from September to November, which will present a considerable challenge in terms of venue density and turf protection that will be difficult to meet the requirements of the national team.
In light of this, the CFA has listed Shanghai as an alternative. In the China-Korea
women's soccer
In both the Olympic Qualifiers and the Top 40, the visiting team entered the country through Shanghai Pudong International Airport and closed the loop to Suzhou. If Suzhou is unable to host the Top 12 matches, Shanghai is undoubtedly an ideal choice, with the newly completed Shanghai Pudong soccer stadium available. However, it is not up to the CFA to decide whether they can get what they want.
In view of the 40-team tournament, China
national soccer team
With the precedent of a sudden home shift to the UAE, the CFA will need to take more factors into consideration when selecting a home venue. Windsor John also emphasized that teams must find neutral venues if they are unable to host home games. The AFC also recently issued a notice requiring member associations participating in the Top 12 to report their home stadiums by July 16 and are required to also report a neutral venue as a backup.
Teams are eager to retain their home ground, but the outbreak may force some teams to lose their home ground status. According to AFC regulations, visiting teams may be quarantined for a maximum of 48 hours, depending on the policies of the government of the country and region where they enter; if this period is exceeded, they will be disqualified from the home stadium.
