The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Competitions Committee recently approved the plan to organise regional football tournaments in 2016, with Vietnam named the host country to the AFF U-19 Youth Championship and the AFF Beach Soccer Championship.

The 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship, scheduled for mid-September, is considered a significant warm-up for the region’s U-19 teams who have qualified for the finals of the 2016 AFC U-19 Championships, to be held in Bahrain from October 11 to 31.

Meanwhile, winning the hosting bid for the 2016 AFF Beach Soccer Championship will also help Vietnam in its preparations for the 2016 Asian Beach Games, to be hosted in Da Nang from September 24 to October 5.

The continental-level sporting event will feature 14 sports and 165 sets of medals, with beach football among Vietnam’s biggest hopes for medals.

Hosting venues for other tournaments remained the same as decided in the AFF Competitions Committee’s recent meeting, with the Women’s Championship scheduled in Mandalay, Myanmar; the U-16 Championship in Cambodia; the Futsal Championship in Thailand; and the Futsal Clubs Championship in Yangon, Myanmar.

Regarding the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup, the Philippines has asked for additional preparation time in order to meet the requirements set by the AFF for the co-host of the tournament, alongside Myanmar. The co-hosting right will belong to another nation if the Philippines fails to resolve venue issues as of 5pm on March 11, according to the AFF.

At present, three countries, including Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, have sent co-hosting offers to the AFF in replacement of the Philippines. With Vietnam and Singapore already hosting the 2014 competition, priority will possibly be given to Malaysia.

The final decision on the co-hosting country of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup with Myanmar will be reached at an AFF meeting in Da Nang on March 12.

Source NDN