Asian Football Federation (AFC) has awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup for the second time to India.
India had hosted the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 1979.
In a letter to the All India Football Federation, Dato Windsor John, General Secretary, AFC wrote: “The Committee awarded the hosting rights of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 Finals to the All India Football Federation.”
The decision was taken at the AFC Women’s Football Committee meeting that was held on Thursday.
In February, the AFC Women’s Football Committee had recommended India to be hosts.
“I need to thank the Asian Football Confederation for finding us suitable to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022,” AIFF President, Praful Patel said.
“The tournament will galvanize the aspiring women players and bring in a holistic social revolution as far as women’s football in the country is concerned,” he added.
As hosts, India will get an automatic qualification to the tournament.
Although India had not yet bagged an AFC Women’s Asian Cup till now, it had finished as runners-up in 1981 and 1983 and won a bronze medal in 1981.
This year, the AFC committee has also decided to expand the Asian Cup from eight teams to 12.