India set to host Women’s AFC Asian Cup 2022

India is set to host the Women’s AFC Asian Cup 2022,  Goal can confirm. 

It is slated to start in December 2022 and the final to be played in January 2023.  Ahmedabad and Navi Mumbai are the two possible venues that are likely to host the marquee event. 

By virtue of being the hosts, India will also participate in the event. India was one of the three countries which had expressed interest in hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup alongside Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan. It will be its second time that India will be hosting the premier tournament after 1980 in Kozhikode.

India had been twice runners-up (1980 and 1983) and had won the Bronze medal on another occassion (1981). Its last participation was in 2003.

In February, the AFC Women’s Football Committee had recommended India to be the host which was formally ratified on Thursday. 

Chairperson, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron then said, “This is the most important and prestigious competition in women’s football in Asia. The last edition was a major step forward for the women’s game in Asia. It was played in Jordan, the first time a West Asian nation had hosted the event. Now we are looking to build on that legacy.

“India offers the best opportunities to build the event commercially as well as increasing the value and India is also committed to developing the women’s game in the country and while all three were strong bids, India stands out.”

The committee decided that the expanded AFC Women’s Asian Cup – eight to 12 teams – will be played in three groups of four with a minimum of 25 matches with eight teams qualifying for the newly introduced quarter-finals.

It had also been agreed that the minimum length of the competition would be 17 days and that the administration would be mandated to organise the relevant play-off matches depending on the AFC slots at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Previously, India had successfully hosted the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup in 2017 and is set to host the U17 Women’s World Cup in February 2021.