THE ASIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION on Wednesday has confirmed India’s bid to host the AFC Asian Cup 2031, listing the country among six member associations in contention for the continental showpiece.
India will compete with Australia, Indonesia, Korea and Kuwait, while a joint bid has also been submitted by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The United Arab Emirates Football Association has withdrawn from the bidding process.
“The bidding process for the AFC Asian Cup 2031 was completed last year and attracted strong interest from across the continent. Subsequently, and in line with the AFC President’s forward-looking approach, invitations to bid for the 2035 edition were circulated to MAs (member associations) on August 27, 2025, with the submission window closing on December 31, 2025,” the AFC said in a statement.
Last year, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) submitted the country’s Expression of Interest (EoI) to host the 2031 edition of the tournament.
Following the submission, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reiterated the government’s full support for the bid, stating that hosting major international events would enhance India’s global sporting profile, particularly as the country targets a bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.
India has never hosted the Asian Cup. The country had previously submitted bids for the 2023 and 2027 editions during Praful Patel’s tenure as AIFF president. However, the 2023 bid was withdrawn in 2018, and the same occurred for the 2027 tournament.
In December 2022, a few months after incumbent AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey took office, India withdrew its 2027 bid, stating that hosting major events was not among its strategic priorities at that time. The move left Saudi Arabia as the sole candidate, ultimately securing the hosting rights.
Meanwhile, the AFC also confirmed that Australia, Japan, Korea and Kuwait have formally expressed interest in hosting the 2035 Asian Cup.
