DHAKA, June 5, 2020 (BSS)- All the three participating countries –
Bangladesh, India and the Maldives — of South Asia agreed to play the
remaining home and away basis matches of AFC Cup-2020 at centralize
venue or neutral venue after Asian Football Confederation (AFC) gave
them proposal to play the tournament.
In this regard, an online meeting with the participating club’s and
federation officials and AFC was held today to discuss how to arrange
the remaining matches or how to complete the AFC Cup, which was
postponed in March last due to coronavirus pandemic.
Three countries of South Asian, after discussing with AFC, almost
agreed to arrange orginal format of AFC Cup, which is home and away
basis matches, in this situation… rather the AFC gave a proposal to
the participating countries to play a remaining matches of the AFC Cup
at centralize or neutral venue and the participating clubs gave a
positive feedback to AFC in this regards, the Bangladesh Football
Federation (BFF) general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag disclosed it on
the online meeting through a video message today (Friday).”
“The AFC may give an opportunity to all regarding to arrange the
matches on behalf of Bashundhara Kings, we carried their feedback, as
Bashundhara Kings don’t want to go to India to play match due to visa
complication they faced in the past two years as well as COVID-19
situation,” Sohag continued.
“After taking the feedback from the participating teams, AFC will
raise the feedbacks in their competition’s committee’s meeting and we
hope to get a full guideline from AFC in this regards by two or three
weeks. The target of AFC is clear to complete the group phase matches
by September or October and their main intention of AFC is to finish
the 2020 AFC Cup by this year as per their calendar,” Sohag added.
The AFC also confirmed that they would open another window before
the restart of AFC Cup so that the respective participating teams can
complete their registration formality without any hindrance, Sohag
concluded.