Photo: kun.uz
The football federations of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have submitted a joint bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, according to a statement from the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA). The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is already reviewing bids for the 2031 tournament.
“The football associations of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic, considering the reforms carried out in recent years across Central Asia, the conditions being created, and the region’s growing influence on the international stage, have jointly put forward their candidacy, expressing confidence in their ability to host the Asian Cup at a high level,” the statement said.
Initially, Turkmenistan was expected to join the bid—Ashgabat boasts a stadium with a capacity of 45,000—but it ultimately did not participate.
Uzbekistan is reportedly fully prepared to host the prestigious competition, with stadiums in cities like Tashkent, Namangan, Fergana, and Karshi already meeting international standards. The country has also gained valuable organizational experience from hosting recent AFC U-20 and U-23 tournaments, as well as the Futsal World Cup.
According to sports analyst Alisher Nikimbaev, the bid should generally satisfy the AFC’s requirements, but not all conditions have been met yet. Notably, the three bidding countries currently lack a stadium with the 50,000-seat capacity required for the final. However, such a stadium is under construction in Bishkek and must be completed before the AFC makes its final decision in 2026. Two semi-final venues with capacities of at least 40,000 are also necessary, with stadiums currently being built in Dushanbe and Tashkent.
There are additional issues that must be resolved soon, including the lack of skyboxes (rooms with panoramic field views) in most stadiums and the absence of direct flights between host cities.
According to Nikimbaev’s estimates, in addition to the three capitals, potential host cities for Asian Cup matches could include Namangan, Karshi, Fergana, and Khujand. Jalal-Abad may also be added to the list.
