• Australia, Jordan and Uzbekistan have also expressed interest

Arab News

Saudi Arabia is among four nations that have expressed an interest in hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

Football Australia, Jordan Football Association and the Uzbekistan Football Association were the other member associations to join the Saudi Arabian Football Federation in expressing an interest by the July 31 deadline, the Asian Football Confederation has confirmed.

The AFC will now work with all the associations on the delivery of the necessary bidding documentation, and will announce the successful country in 2023.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 is expected to build on the solid foundations of the tournament’s celebrated legacy. Expanded from eight to 12 teams, not only was the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 the biggest-ever edition in nearly two decades, but it was also organized by the largest-ever women’s delegation.

Off the pitch, the tournament benefitted from the biggest ensemble of women match officials who were instrumental in implementing the Video Assistant Referee system for the first time from the quarterfinal stage.

Similarly, engagement and coverage of the 2022 showpiece surpassed the previous edition as the AFC’s digital channels witnessed a remarkable 5,324 percent rise compared to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2018. More than 270 million impressions, 17 million engagements and 74 million video views were recorded across the AFC’s channels.

Australia last hosted the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2006 with the Matildas going on to clinch their sole title four years later in China. Uzbekistan, the hosts of this year’s AFC Women’s Club Championship (West), will be vying to become the first Central Asian nation to stage the continent’s most prestigious women’s tournament in their second attempt.

Jordan became the first West Asian country to host the competition in 2018. Saudi Arabia is therefore aiming to be only the second nation in the West Asian zone to do so.