China News Service, December 5. According to the website of the Indian Football Association, the Indian Football Association will withdraw its bid for the 2027 Asian Cup because the management believes that holding large-scale events is not in line with the strategic direction of the Football Association.
"Our current focus is on building a proper football foundation before considering staging a major event like the Asian Cup," the Football Federation of India said in a statement.
The president of the Indian Football Federation said: "India has always been an excellent and efficient host to major events, which was amply demonstrated in the recently concluded FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. But our current overall strategy remains to strengthen all aspects from the grassroots to the youth training. We will also work closely with local football associations and clubs to change all aspects of domestic football."
The general secretary of the Indian Football Federation said: "Our strategy is very simple. Before planning to host large-scale events, we must prioritize the development of this sport. Now our focus should be to jointly promote the development of Indian football."
In October this year, the AFC announced that India and Saudi Arabia will be the final candidates for the 2027 Asian Cup.
At that time, it was also decided that the venue for the tournament would be determined at the AFC Congress in February 2023.
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