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| The Philippine Sports Stadium will be the main venue of the Suzuki Cup. (file photo) |
By Kevin Estrada
DA NANG--In what would be the biggest news of the week for Philippine football, the ASEAN Football Federation has decided to retain the hosting rights of the Philippines in the 2016 Championship, also known as the Suzuki Cup, on Saturday in a crucial council meeting.
The decision to retain the said hosting rights given to the country way back in 2013 ended two weeks of anxiety of the Filipino football fans who were distraught when the initial news of a withdrawal broke out.
In a statement by the Philippine Football Federation, President Mariano Araneta and Secretary General Atty. Ed Gastanes expressed great joy in confirming the news, saying that this is an opportunity and a challenge to the organization and to all involved in.
The PFF also thankful from the support of the Philippine Sports Commission and the cooperation of the Philippine Sports Stadium which will be the primary venue for the tournament slated on November 19-26 this year.
Apart from the Bocaue venue, the 80-year old Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila also got the approval from the AFF Council as the secondary venue.
The Azkals are looking for their maiden title in a tournament that made football relevant six years ago when they made it to their first of the three consecutive semifinal appearances, the most active streak shared with Malaysia.
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