October 24, 2026
The Asian Football Confederation has officially adopted a historic amendment stipulating the return of the Asian Cup to be held in even years instead of odd years, starting with the 2032 edition, in a move that returns the competition to its previous system after nearly a quarter of a century of operation under the current system.
This decision came during the extraordinary general assembly meeting of the Continental Union, which was held on Friday in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, where members voted unanimously in favor of introducing radical amendments to the statute of the union.
The AFC stated that this change was made in full consultation with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), with the aim of achieving harmony and compatibility between the dates of the continental championship and the international football calendar, as well as its compatibility with the association’s electoral cycle.
Under the new dates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the next edition of the tournament between January 7 and February 5, 2027, with the participation of 24 teams, with the next edition being organized in 2032, bringing the interval between the two editions to five years instead of the usual four.
It is noteworthy that the Asian Cup was held regularly in even years from the launch of its first edition in 1956 until 2004, before its date was changed to odd years as of the 2007 edition. The AFC has not yet revealed the country that will host the 2032 edition, especially after its previous decision to halt the nomination procedures to host the 2031 and 2035 editions.
