Saudi Arabia will host the U-17 Asian Championship again in three years: What was the reason for the AFC's decision?
In April of this year, the U-17 Asian Championship held in Saudi Arabia opened a unique chapter in the history of Uzbek football. Our representatives managed to secure the main prize of the tournament through their bright and intense performances in this prestigious competition.
After this championship, the leadership of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) convened a meeting of the Executive Committee to discuss the organization of upcoming tournaments in the coming years. The issue of which country will host the U-17 Asian Championship in the next three seasons was discussed at this meeting.
As a result, the continental championships for youth in 2026, 2027, and 2028 will be held in Saudi Arabia for three consecutive seasons. This decision was made by the AFC leadership, citing the stable political situation in the country and the experience of organizing high-level competitions as the main reasons.
Interestingly, two other countries – China and Iraq – were also candidates for hosting. However, the constantly changing political instability in Iraq complicated the situation, forcing the country to quickly withdraw from the competition among the candidates.
After that, the AFC leadership continued negotiations between Saudi Arabia and China for a long time. As a result of the negotiations, it was agreed that the youth competitions would be held in Saudi Arabia, while the girls' competitions would be organized in China. This agreement was reached while taking into account the interests of both parties equally.
In fact, the successful organization of the U-17 Asian Championship and the centralized final stages of the Elite Asian Champions League (ACL) held in April this year played a significant role in Saudi Arabia once again securing the right to host. The high professionalism and responsible approach demonstrated in the organizational processes left a strong impression on AFC representatives and international observers.
At the same time, it is noted that this will be a wonderful experience and a great opportunity for the youth participating in the upcoming championships in Saudi Arabia. Especially, the country’s modern stadiums and the infrastructure allocated for hosting competitions are highly regarded not only in Asia but also worldwide.
Overall, the fact that the U-17 Asian Championship will be held several more times in Saudi Arabia in the coming years reaffirms the country's significant position in continental football. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to increasing the level of competition and professionalism in Asian football.
