2031 AFC Asian Cup bids
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The 2031 and 2035 AFC Asian Cup bids refer to the selection processes organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to determine the host nation(s) for the 2031 and 2035 editions of the AFC Asian Cup.
These editions mark the beginning of a new era for the competition, as they will be the first Asian Cups awarded under a multi-cycle hosting strategy in which two future tournaments are selected simultaneously.
The bidding processes are overseen by the AFC, Asia’s governing body of association football. In April 2025, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa proposed that the hosts for both tournaments be chosen at the same AFC Congress to provide longer lead times for planning, infrastructure development, and commercial preparations.
The bidding window for both tournaments closed on 31 December 2025, and the hosts are expected to be appointed by the AFC Congress in 2027. However, on 20 March 2026, bidding for the 2031 and 2035 tournaments was halted as the AFC considers shifting the tournament to even numbered years to align with the international match calendar.[1]
The AFC Asian Cup is the premier men’s national team competition in Asia. Traditionally, hosts have been selected for each tournament individually. However, growing commercial interest, broadcast expansion, and the increasing scale of infrastructure requirements led the AFC to explore a multi-cycle host selection model.
Under this model, the AFC aims to:
- improve long-term tournament planning
- provide greater certainty for host governments
- strengthen commercial partnerships
- reduce administrative duplication
The 2031 and 2035 tournaments will be the first to follow this new approach.
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