KUALA LUMPUR – The Asean Football Federation (AFF) announced today Singapore has been appointed as the host country for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup scheduled to take place from December 5 to January 1.
AFF has decided to host the entire tournament this year in a centralised venue instead of the usual home-and-away format so the tournament can be staged most safely and to prioritise the health and safety of everyone.
There is no change to the main competition format – with each team playing four fixtures in a round-robin system at the Group stage and the semi-finals and finals played on a two-leg format.
After the draw that took place last week, reigning champions Vietnam will meet AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 finalist Malaysia as well as Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos in Group B to kick-off the defence of their 2018 title.
In Group A, four-time AFF Suzuki Cup champions Singapore will have the uphill task of facing five-time winners Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar and the winner of the qualification round between Brunei and Timor Leste to advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.
“We are very grateful for all the member associations who stepped forward to offer to host the tournament in these challenging times – it truly displayed the Asean spirit of strength and determination in the face of adversity.
“Now, with this decision made, we can focus our efforts on working with the Football Association of Singapore to ensure that the event is staged safely and securely and also that it brings to life the joy of football and the passion of the Asean fans,” said AFF president Major General Khiev Sameth.
Meanwhile, Singaporean Football Association president Lim Kia Tong said: “There were other worthy hosting proposals from our fellow AFF member association Thailand.
“They gave us a strong fight for the bid. The hard work starts from now and we will do everything in our power, working closely with AFF as well as with the Singapore government, which is unflinching in its support for the bid.” – The Vibes, September 28, 2021
