Jakarta. Indonesia has formally launched its bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, the country’s football chief announced on Sunday.

Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairman Erick Thohir said he will facilitate a meeting between AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and President Prabowo Subianto to discuss Indonesia’s bid in greater detail.

Shaikh Salman is expected to visit Indonesia next month at PSSI’s invitation.

“I plan to arrange a meeting between Shaikh Salman and President Prabowo,” Erick said.

The competition to host the Asian Cup is intense, with several countries also vying for the opportunity. Other bidders include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Australia, as well as a joint bid from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Most recently, South Korea has also joined the race.

Indonesia is equipped with at least eight FIFA-standard stadiums, making it a strong candidate for hosting the tournament. These include Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), Manahan Stadium in Solo, Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, Bandung Stadium, I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Bali, and Batakan Stadium in Balikpapan.

The AFC has yet to announce the official timeline for the bidding process.

First held in 1956, the Asian Cup is Asia’s premier international football tournament, contested by national teams across the continent and held every four years.

Japan is the most successful team in the tournament with four titles. The most recent tournament was hosted by Qatar who went on to win the trophy two years ago.

Indonesia has appeared five times in the tournament, first in 1996.  Their best performance came in 2007, when they co-hosted the event and reached the group stage.

Add as a preferred source on Google +