After the 2022 World Cup (November 20-December 18), the Asian Nations Cup.
Qatar will organize in 2023, therefore only a few months after the World Cup, the Asian Cup, the equivalent of the European Nations Championship.
The Asian confederation, the first cousin of UEFA, announced it early on Monday, October 17.
“The Executive Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today confirmed the Qatar Football Federation (QFA) as the host association for the AFC Asian Cup 2023,” the body based in Malaysia in a statement.
In June 2019, China won the tender for the organization of the event.
But Beijing pulled out in May 2022 as part of its so-called “zero Covid” preventative policy, leaving the AFC scrambling to find a new host for its flagship 24-team men's football tournament.
Qatar defending champion
The competition was to take place in 10 Chinese cities from June 16 to July 16.
China is the last major economy still trying to stamp out Covid-19 within its borders, through a series of tough measures including rapid lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions.
These measures officially kept the number of cases low, but left the country's economy struggling.
The Asian Football Cup takes place every four years.
Qatar won the last edition of the tournament in 2019, which was hosted by the United Arab Emirates.
South Korea and Indonesia are the other two countries that have entered the bidding to host the final stage of the continental tournament after China pulled out.
However, the Asian Confederation has chosen the most "simple" solution.
In Qatar, everything is already ready to welcome the 24 delegations, just six months after the World Cup.