KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a new soccer tournament for Southeast Asian nations on Sunday at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia.
While Southeast Asia already hosts the biennial ASEAN Championship, the most recent of which was won by Vietnam in January, Infantino said the new tournament would be held during FIFA’s international competition period and would allow players from leagues around the world to join their countries’ national teams.
“Through the FIFA ASEAN Cup we are uniting countries and this tournament will be a huge success,” Infantino said. “This will contribute to the revitalization of national football teams in the ASEAN region and support the development of our sport throughout Southeast Asia.”
Infantino made the announcement hours after Timor-Leste was officially recognized as ASEAN’s 11th member state.
“The number 11 is a symbolic number in football because each team has 11 players,” Infantino said.
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