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Korea seeking to co-host 2035 Asian Cup football tournament with Japan

Published: 28 Nov. 2025, 13:53

Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo speaks during a press conference at the KFA House in central Seoul on May 26. [YONHAP]

Korea will pursue a joint bid with Japan to co-host the top Asian men's football tournament in 2035.

An official with the Korea Football Association (KFA) said Friday that the national governing body has informed the Sports Ministry of plans for a joint bid for the 2035 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.

"We have exchanged views on co-hosting the Asian Cup through working-level talks with the Japan Football Association," the KFA official said. "We've formed a consensus on how we can save costs by co-hosting the event."

Korea and Japan also co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

In February this year, Korea submitted its "Expression of Interest" form to the AFC for the 2031 Asian Cup. The AFC received a record seven bids, with Korea joined by Australia, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and a joint bid from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The UAE withdrew on Thursday.

The AFC later decided to select hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 Asian Cups at the same time and set a Dec. 31 deadline for the Expression of Interest for the 2035 competition.

All formal bidding documents, including government guarantees, must be submitted to the AFC by June 30, 2026. Following inspection visits by AFC officials, the hosts for the 2031 and 2035 tournaments will be selected in 2027.

The AFC Asian Cup was first held in 1956, and Korea hosted the second edition in 1960. It was also the last time the country won the tournament.

Korea lost out to Qatar in the bid for the 2023 Asian Cup, which was eventually held in early 2024. The 2027 tournament will be in Saudi Arabia.

The top AFC tournament has not been held in East Asia since China hosted the 2004 tournament.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam shared the 2007 tournament. Qatar had the 2011 and 2024 tournaments. Australia hosted in 2015, followed by the UAE in 2019.

Yonhap