Asian Cup could see first co-hosts

Asian Cup could see first co-hosts

KUALA LUMPUR: The next Asian Cup will be held in 2007
following this year's tournament in China and could involve co-
hosts for the first time, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
said on Monday.

The venue for the 14th Asian Cup, brought forward by a year to
avoid clashing with the European Championship and Olympics, will
be Southeast Asia, with AFC officials already studying several
bids.

The AFC will choose the 2007 Asian Cup hosts at the end of the
2004 finals, which take place in China from July 17 to Aug. 7
with a record 16 teams involved.

Velappan was instrumental in convincing FIFA to accept an
unprecedented joint bid from South Korea and Japan to host the
2002 World Cup. -- Reuters