Bahrain possible host of joint-qualifiers
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain could host a series of joint-qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 later this summer, should discussions of a centralised venue for those games be approved.
According to an official at the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), the BFA has informed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that it is keen to stage the remaining matches in Group C of qualification in June, which would involve five national teams, namely Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Hong Kong and Cambodia.
This comes after Cambodia had formally notified the AFC that they will not be able to play their two qualifying matches scheduled for next month, which include a match in Bahrain on March 25 and a game against Iran in Phnom Penh on March 30, said the BFA official. This is due to COVID-19 concerns.
Those fixtures would be moved to June when the final games in this qualifying stage are presently scheduled.
In light of this, discussions are ongoing of having the remaining matches played at a centralised venue, and the BFA has come forward and notified the AFC of its keenness to host those games.
The BFA official added, however, that the AFC may opt to hold the matches at a neutral location rather than have them hosted by one of the Group C teams.
Matches still to play Bahrain have three fixtures remaining in the joint-qualifiers, and they must be completed before June of next year, the AFC had previously announced.
The Bahrainis had only one game slated for March: its match against Cambodia.
The two others are scheduled for June 7 against Iran in Tehran, and June 15 at home against Hong Kong.
Bahrain currently sits second in Group C with nine points after five matches, two points behind leaders Iraq.
Iran is third on six points with a game in hand, while Hong Kong follows with five points and Cambodia have just one. There are eight groups in all in this round of qualifiers, with five nations in each group.
In the end, the eight group winners and the four best runners-up advance to the third round of World Cup qualifying.
They also secure their berths in the Asian Cup.
The next best 24 teams will compete in a separate competition for the remaining 12 slots in the Asian Cup
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