The Korean Football Association apologizes for the failure of the bid: I'm sorry we lost to Qatar's financial resources
On October 17, Beijing time, the AFC officially announced today that Qatar will become the host of the 2023 Asian Cup.
Qatar's rival, the Korean Football Association, issued a statement on its failed bid:
The AFC Executive Committee held today finally decided to host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
The Korean Football Association has tried its best to bid for the host in the past few months, but unfortunately failed. I am sorry to disappoint the players, fans, and the people who have been looking forward to hosting the Asian Cup since they expressed their interest.
In addition, I would like to express my gratitude and apologies to the government including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the officials of the host city for their full support for the KFA bid.
The Korean Football Association has been actively seeking to secure the right to host the Asian Cup in May 2023 after China announced it was giving up. From the perspective of rotation and regional balance, it is a reasonable order for the Asian Cup to be held in East Asia.
South Korea is attractive in many aspects such as venue facilities, transportation, accommodation, football popularity, and cultural tourism resources. Unexpectedly, however, Qatar, relying on its strong financial, human and material foundations, promised huge financial support to the AFC, and finally won the right to host.
The Korean Football Association tried to persuade all AFC executives who have the power to decide the game through personal contact, and also received the agreement of many senior officials, who expressed sympathy for the legitimate reason for South Korea to host this Asian Cup.
However, the results were not satisfactory. It is judged that the unprecedented offensive of the Middle East countries and the support of trying to occupy the leading position in Asian football have also affected the situation. In particular, Saudi Arabia, which has expressed its intention to host the Asian Cup in 2027, will provide financial support to the AFC if Qatar is confirmed as the host country of the Asian Cup to overcome the financial difficulties caused by the withdrawal of the Asian Cup in China.
The Korean Football Association will conduct more research and practice on measures to strengthen international competitiveness and football diplomacy in the future, and at the same time reflect deeply on the failure of winning the bid. We will do our best to ensure that Korean football can show its best on the international stage, such as the upcoming World Cup in Qatar and the Women's World Cup next year.
Taking this opportunity, the Korean Football Association will do its best to make Korean football work harder, innovate and be happier.
