AFC Evaluation Commission visits Saudi Arabia-Why?

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) inspectors visit Saudi Arabia for the next leg of their evaluation tour of the country's bid for AFC Women's Asian Cup. Al-Riyadiah, the Saudi newspaper quoted undisclosed sources as saying Today, Sunday, “A delegation from the Asian Football Confederation will inspect the final preparations for the AFC Champions League final, which brings together the Saudi Al-Hilal and the Japanese Urawa, scheduled for April 29 at King Fahd International Stadium. The same sources indicated that the delegation, which includes 12 members, will also visit the stadiums, facilities and sports facilities in the capital in order to find out about the Saudi file to host the 2026 Asian Women's Cup, and to see that the tournament's requirements, conditions and standards have been met on the ground." The Saudi Football Association submitted a request to host the 2026 Asian Women's Cup, last December, to join 3 other federations that submitted the same request, namely Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan, and the Asian Football Confederation is expected to make its decision to announce the host country for the tournament this year. In December 2022, the Saudi Football Association handed over the final file to host the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup to the AFC, whose representative welcomed the Saudi delegation assigned to submit the file, at its headquarters in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Yasser Al-Mishal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Football Association, confirmed that the Kingdom seeks to host this great continental event in keeping with the comprehensive development leaps it is witnessing, especially in the world of sports, as this hosting opens new horizons for women’s football in the Kingdom and the region, which has made progress. Despite its recent age, he explained that the Kingdom has a strong sports infrastructure that qualifies it to host the Asian Women's Cup, as it welcomes guests from the Asian continent and all over the world. President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal said that hosting this tournament opens new horizons for women's football in the Kingdom and the region. Al-Mishal added, "We prepared from an early age for this tournament according to the highest levels of organization, and the Saudi file is comprehensive and full of details that will enrich the 2026 AFC Women's Championship, and we are confident of the high chances of winning hosting." He explained that the Kingdom, by hosting the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, does not only aim to spread the game or honorable representation in tournaments, but to present the Saudi Federation with a distinguished version of women's football, in a global event that puts the Kingdom on the global sports map, and is in line with the goals of the Kingdom's vision for 2030. The Saudi Football Association bid includes the requirements, conditions and criteria of the championship, in addition to the regional and international sporting events and events that the Kingdom has hosted over the past few years and has received global acclaim, as part of a plan for the Saudi Football Association through which it seeks to host major continental and international sporting events.