Stirring up the storm, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) unveiled last night that since the beginning of this month, it has opened its doors to welcome governments from all over the country to enthusiastically submit their intention to bid to host the 2023 Asian Cup. And as promised, the FA submitted its letter of intent to bid before the June 30 deadline set by the AFC.
Originally locked in China to host the 2023 Asian Cup, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) resolutely relinquished the hosting rights in May due to the shadow of the Xinguang epidemic, and AFC then urgently searched for a replacement. Finally, on June 2, South Korean President Yun Seok-yeol visited the World Cup Stadium in Seoul to have dinner with former South Korean national team manager Hiddink, FA president Chung Mong-kyu and CEO Lee Young-pyo before watching the warm-up match between South Korea and Brazil. When Jung and Lee mentioned the 2023 Asian Cup, which was abandoned by China, Yoon instructed Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Park Bo-kyun to promote the event with great fanfare.
The Asian Cup, since its inception in 1956, has become the most influential national tournament in Asia, staging a feast every four years. South Korea won the first and second tournaments in 1956 and 1960, and has only been runner-up four times since then, but in the World Cup, the Korean team is unique among Asian countries. However, on the Asian stage, it is widely believed in South Korean soccer that the only way to prove themselves as a true Asian soccer powerhouse is to win the Asian Cup. If the Asian Cup can be held in the local community, the chances of winning the championship will undoubtedly be greatly improved, like the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup semi-final that exciting.
