AFF Suzuki Cup to take place in 2021 Q2

The Azkals are back by April. Jan Dayrit (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—The ASEAN Football Federation announced that its prized tournament, the AFF Suzuki Cup, will happen early into the second quarter of 2021.

In particular, the AFF said on Friday that it will take place from April 11-May 8.

"The AFF hopes that the announcement of the 2021 tournament dates will provide some clarity in planning for our commercial partners, including sponsors and media broadcasters, at a time of uncertainty," AFF president Khiev Sameth said in a statement.

The AFF Suzuki Cup was initially scheduled near the end of 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling of the event.

The AFF insisted on holding the tournament in its current home-and-away format instead of its old format of having the participating teams converge in one area for the group stages, thus, moving the cup to next year.

The old AFF Suzuki Cup group stage format has become a pattern of the bubbles many tournaments are holding just for them to continue on amid the pandemic.

"While we are well aware that the fight against the global pandemic is not over, we are cautiously optimistic for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 to take place in its full format as we hope to deliver the best of ASEAN in the tournament next year," Sameth further said.

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