Indonesia offers to host AFC Asian Cup Final

Following receipt of Indonesia's formal expression of interest in holding the final of the AFC Asian Cup 2007, the AFC Asian Cup 2007 Organising Committee has decided to invite and evaluate similar expressions from the other co-hosts Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. The location of the final of Asia's premier football event will be announced during the next session of the AFC standing committee meetings in July.

A proposal by the AFC Competitions Department was also presented to the Committee in which the allotment of group matches among the four countries, the opening ceremony and final was discussed, AFCMedia reported.

According to this plan, the six matches of each group will be hosted in one country each. One of these countries would also get the rights to host the opening ceremony but the final will not be awarded to this country. The quarterfinals will be played in each country and the semifinals in only two countries. But the countries hosting the semifinals will not get to host either the final or the opening ceremony. The idea is to have eight matches in all venues. The match schedule will be confirmed at the final draw in December 2006.