AFC Exco endorses decision to give hosting rights to Maldives

Nov 29, 2012 - 11:30:07 | Hussain Sinan

Ashfaq celebrates after scoring a goal in national colours. Maldives will get an automatic qualification

Male’, MALDIVES – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) executive committee has endorsed the decision by the competition committee to award the hosting rights of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup to Maldives. Football Association of Maldives president, Ali Azim tweeted that the decision meant that Maldives will get an automatic qualification to the tournament.

“AFC Exco ratify the decision of Competition Committee to award AFC Challenge Cup hosting rights along with automatic qualification to Maldives”

The committee also approved DPR Korea’s exclusion from future AFC Challenge Cups and maintain automatic qualification for top three teams from the 2015 edition in the next edition.

Speaking to maldivesoccer.com from Malaysia, Azim said that it was a great day for Maldivian football.

"It has been a great day for Maldivian football. Definitely the decision is based on good and close relation and the vision of FAM Executive Committee. And also the opportunity for me to sit in the AFC executive committee gives and extra advantage for us to get this chance for Maldives."

"On the day I was elected for AFC I said that this will be a good advantage for Maldives to do things through AFC"

"This is not an easy task to get a chance to host a tournament like this when countries such as India also made the bid"

Azim further highlighted that there is a lot of challenges ahead for the tournament.

"There are many challenges and difficulties ahead. The stability of the country and the cooperation from the government is important as well"