KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Asian Football Confederation announced Sunday that it will launch a Nations League to boost competition among its member countries.
The move follows UEFA’s introduction of a Nations League in 2018, in which European national teams are divided into tiers and play during designated international windows.
The announcement comes a day after the Confederation of African Football announced the implementation of a similar tournament in 2029.
“Effective utilization of FIFA’s international match windows has become increasingly challenging due to limited availability of opponents, increasing operational costs and logistical complexities, which often diminish the sporting value of international matches,” the AFC said in a statement.
“Following a thorough process of internal review and consultation, the confederation has decided, in principle, to introduce an AFC Nations League.”
The UEFA Nations League was introduced to allow teams to play more matches against similarly ranked opponents.
The results also impact qualification for the European Championship and the World Cup, giving lower-ranked teams more chances of qualifying for major tournaments.
Details on the format, timeline and implementation will be announced later after consultations with stakeholders, the AFC said.
___
