Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027 after India withdrew its bid.
The All Indian Football Federation withdrew from the host selection process, according to a statement the Asian Football Confederation released on Monday. No reason was given, Associated Press reported.
The AFC executive committee had shortlisted the Saudi Arabian and Indian bids in October, and a decision was anticipated to be made at a regional congress in February. Currently, Saudi Arabia is the only contender to host the competition in 2027.
Qatar will host the 2023 Asian Cup after China backed out of the hosting role. The Asian Cup was twice held in Qatar, which is currently hosting the World Cup.
The Saudis began their World Cup campaign in Qatar with a shocking 2-1 upset victory over Argentina, but they were eliminated from the competition following two consecutive losses in Group C to Poland and Mexico. Argentina won the group and beat Australia by a narrow margin in the Round of 16 to go to the quarterfinals.