July 6 – The 2022 Women’s Asian Cup will be hosted in two instead of four hosts cities to minimize the risk of Covid-19 infections, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed.
The ruling body reduced the field of host cities, dropping both Ahmedabad and Bhubaneswar from the list. Pune and Mumbai have been retained and with just two cities staging the tournament the AFC wants to reduce traveling time for participants as well as create an “optimum environment” for a bio-secure bubble.
“The decision was confirmed taking into careful consideration the existing challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” the AFC said in a press release. “The 37,900-capacity DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will remain as one of the three stadiums that will stage the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 which is on schedule to take place from January 20 to February 6, 2022.”
President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee Praful Patel said: “As the situation evolved, we had to adapt and the need was to create a bio-secure bubble.”
“Hence, we chose Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune, venues in close geographical proximity with stadiums that have previously hosted major football competitions.”
This September qualification for the finals will take center stage with 28 teams across the continent in contention for the eight remaining places in the expanded and biggest-ever edition of the tournament. Hosts India, Japan, Australia and China PR are among the teams that have already qualified.
The Women’s Asian Cup was staged for the first time in 1975 and this will be the second time India has hosted the tournament.
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