FIFA ASEAN Cup’s viability questioned
Malaysian, Singaporean experts say project could be waste of resources for regional federations
SINGAPORE (MNTV) — Singaporean football expert Khairul Asyraf has questioned the feasibility and financial logic of the newly proposed FIFA ASEAN Cup, saying the project could be a waste of resources for regional federations, reports The Straits Times.
The tournament, initiated by FIFA, is scheduled to take place during the expanded international window from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6 this year. It will feature 11 Southeast Asian nations alongside three invited guest teams: China, India and Hong Kong.
Asyraf, 38, a football coach and consultant, believes FIFA needs to be more transparent about its plan. He noted that the invited guest teams are not particularly prominent on the global stage, with China currently 94th, India 136th and Hong Kong 155th on the world ranking.
He suggested that the world football governing body is primarily targeting highly populated, lucrative markets that failed to qualify for the World Cup.
“This looks more like a third-tier tournament trying to accommodate teams and creating a platform for them to compete, and possibly for FIFA to monetize the Chinese, Indian and ASEAN markets,” Asyraf said.
Malaysian coach Raja Isa Raja Akram Syah warned that regional football risks running the same cycle over and over again.
“Teams in the region will struggle to develop if they constantly face familiar opponents,” Syah said. “They should try to face teams with higher FIFA rankings to gain experience and test their strength.”
Financial reality and FIFA recognition
The financial structure of the FIFA ASEAN Cup has also drawn skepticism. The tournament boasts an estimated total prize pool of $4 million. The first division winner will receive $1 million, while the runner-up takes home $300,000.
However, Khairul finds these figures unconvincing. “As it is, budgets for football associations in the region are stretched. The FIFA ASEAN Cup prize money is not that substantial compared to the cost of preparation, so it looks to me like a redundancy for now.”
Despite the criticism from pundits, the FIFA ASEAN Cup maintains significant support from active players. Singapore national team captain Hariss Harun believes that official FIFA recognition is important and brings great benefits to the region.
“This could go a long way for football in this region. More recently, when more ASEAN players went on to play in Europe or in the bigger leagues, the tournament began to be deprived of the best players. Maybe the FIFA ASEAN Cup will allow the best of the best to be involved.”
The draft tournament outlines a first division consisting of Thailand, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Malaysia and Singapore. The second division will include Hong Kong, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei and Timor Leste.
The first division will be played at two centralized locations, one in Indonesia. The second division will be held in Hong Kong.
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