The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/uae-football-association/" target="_blank">UAE Football Association</a> has submitted an official bid to host the 2031 Asian Cup. The AFC, Asian football's governing body, had asked federations to declare their intentions, and the UAE FA confirmed via social media they have submitted a proposal. In a statement posted on X and Instagram on Thursday night, President of the UAE Football Association, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, said the UAE “is capable of hosting major international and continental sporting events due to the strength of its infrastructure and the availability of all the reasons for success.” The UAE has twice before hosted Asia's premier international football competition – in 1996 and 2019. It was most recently <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/02/11/jordan-qatar-asian-cup-2023-akram-afif/" target="_blank">staged and won by Qatar</a>, while the next edition of the tournament will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2027. As well as the 2019 Asian Cup, the UAE has hosted several other major football events, such as the Fifa U20 and U17 World Cups and the Fifa Club World Cup. “Every tournament hosted in the UAE becomes exceptional, with great attendance that lingers in memories. We are confident that we can provide a chapter of Asia 2031 that is remarkable in every aspect of detail,” added Sheikh Hamdan. Kuwait was the first Gulf nation to express an interest in hosting the competition, with Sheikh Ahmed Al Yousef, President of the Kuwait Football Association, confirming their intention to bid earlier this year. Kuwait successfully hosted the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/12/26/paulo-bento-optimistic-uae-can-still-reach-arabian-gulf-cup-semi-finals/" target="_blank">2025 Gulf Cup</a> in January, with Bahrain beating Oman 2-1 in the final at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium. South Korea and Indonesia have also expressed their desire to host the 2031 tournament. The UAE's best performance in the Asian Cup came in 1996 when they lost the final on penalties to Saudi Arabia at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Their best result on foreign soil came in 2015 when <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/lessons-for-mahdi-alis-uae-after-asian-cup-exit-in-australia-1.112338" target="_blank">Mahdi Ali's team</a>, including Omar Abdulrahman, Ali Mabkhout and Ahmed Khalil, came third in Australia. Mabkhout won the tournament's golden boot with five goals.
