Chinese players celebrate after winning the AFC Women's Asian Cup title with a 3-2 victory over South Korea in the final in Navi Mumbai, India, February 6, 2022. /CFP
Australia and Uzbekistan have been confirmed as the hosts of the 2026 and 2029 editions of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup, respectively, the AFC said on Wednesday.
The AFC Executive Committee ratified the AFC Women's Football Committee's recommendations at its third meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, on the eve of the 34th AFC Congress, said the Asian football governing body.
#AsianCup2023's tweet about the Women's Asian Cup hosts for 2026 and 2029. /@afcasiancup
"The development of the women's game in Asia has grown immensely in recent years and the launch of the AFC Women's Champions League later this year is a monumental stride forward that will transform the standards of our flagship women's national team competition in the decades to come," said AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
"I am confident that we will see a more vibrant and competitive edition in 2026 in Australia where the unrivaled passion for the women's game is so palpable, setting the perfect stage for Uzbekistan to surpass all expectations in 2029," he added.
Spain's players celebrate after defeating England 1-0 to win the FIFA Women's World Cup title at Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, August 20, 2023. /CFP
Having just co-hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup last year, Australia will host the continent's premier women's national team competition for the second time in history, having staged the 2006 edition.
Uzbekistan will become the first Central Asian nation to organize the tournament.