The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) are looking to build bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia in developing football.
Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin, was today invited to pay a courtesy visit on the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, His Excellency Dato' Dr Mahmoud Hussien Saeed Qattan at his official residence to discuss the matter.
"In the meeting, we discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries, by making football a catalyst.
"We exchanged views in developing football not only for our respective countries but for the entire Asian football family.
"Besides discussing current issues, we also touched on the development for women's football and futsal," said Hamidin.
Pic courtesy of FAM
On top of making football as a key factor in enhancing bilateral ties, the meeting also touched on Saudi Arabia's bid to host the AFC Asian Cup for the first time ever in 2027 and the 21st Asian Games in 2030.
Saudi Arabia has officially launched its campaign to host the 2027 edition of the AFC Asian Cup, with a bid logo accompanied by the slogan ‘Forward for Asia’ in September as part of its sporting objective of Vision 2030, the strategic framework launched by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to reduce the country’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy and develop sectors such as recreation and tourism.
Pic courtesy of FAM
The oil-rich country has never staged the Asian Cup, having failed in its bid to host AFC’s flagship event in 2007.
Four other countries - India, Iran, Qatar and Uzbekistan - also submitted the bid to host this most prestigious tournament in the Asian continent.
For the Asian Games, Riyadh is competing with Qatar’s Doha for the rights to stage the event in 2030, after Hangzhou in 2022 and Nagoya in 2026.
A traditional powerhouse from the Middle East, Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup three times in 1984, 1988 and 1996 and qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018. – The Vibes, November 2, 2020.
