Two AFC Member Associations, the United Arab Emirates Football Association and the IR Iran Football Federation, had submitted final bids to host the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

The Executive Committee, during its meeting in Manama, Bahrain, awarded the hosting rights following a transparent, detailed and highly competitive bidding process, which began with 11 competing Member Associations.  The decision was based on the respective merits of the bids which covered a range of objective criteria including stadiums, transport, infrastructure, hotels, visas and various other sporting, logistical and administrative issues. The AFC Competitions Committee was involved in all stages of the bid process.

At the end of the meeting, AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa signed the AFC Asian Cup 2019 hosting certificate together with UAE Football Association President Yousuf Yaqoob Yousuf Al Serkal.

AFC President Shaikh Salman said: “I would like to congratulate the UAE Football Association on their successful bid to host the AFC Asian Cup 2019.

“The AFC Executive Committee was convinced by the merits of the UAE bid. I firmly believe that the UAE Football Association will host a tournament that could match and potentially even surpass the stunning AFC Asian Cup 2015 in Australia that we have all just witnessed.”