In a second-round game of the Asian Cup on Jan. 22, 2019, at Rashid Stadium in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, striker Hwang Hee-chan (third from right) celebrates after scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Bahrain. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Aug. 31 announced that with the Korea Football Association (KFA), it will bid to host next year's Asian Cup of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Held every four years, the tournament is Asia's leading soccer competition.

China was set to host next year's contest from June to July, but withdrew as host country in May this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The AFC soon announced the start of procedures to select a new host nation.

Soon after this announcement, the KFA officially expressed its bid to host the 2023 Asian Cup and submitted on June 30 a letter of intent to that end to the AFC.

Korea's competitors for the hosting bid are Qatar, which is hosting this year's FIFA World Cup; Australia, host of next year's FIFA Women's World Cup; and Indonesia, which is the venue for next year's FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Korea has proven its advanced sports infrastructure and cutting-edge technology by successfully hosting three major international tournaments: the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Korea's advantage is that it can retain the tournament's original schedule of June through July next year if selected as host nation. Qatar or Australia would have to hold the event in January 2024 because of their timetables.

The ministry said Korea has an additional edge in regional arrangement since the Middle East, namely the United Arab Emirates, hosted the last Asian Cup in 2019.

The AFC will receive official bids from the four countries, conduct onsite inspections next month and hold a meeting of its executive committee to announce the new host country on Oct. 17.

Korea won the inaugural Asian Cup in 1956 and the second in 1960, when it hosted the tournament. The Taegeuk Warriors have also finished as runner-up four times in 1972, 1980, 1988 and 2015.

jihlee08@korea.kr