FIFA Launches ASEAN Cup to Unite 11 Southeast Asian Nations in Regional Football

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the creation of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a new regional football tournament involving all 11 Southeast Asian nations, to be held during the FIFA International Match Calendar. The tournament aims to boost football's profile in the region, uniting a population of about 700 million people and showcasing the best players from the ASEAN countries on a global stage. This announcement coincided with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on regional football development between FIFA and ASEAN, witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN Chair for 2025. The development initiative focuses on three key pillars: integrity in the game, ensuring a safe and secure environment for matches, and education promoting football development for all genders and ages. Infantino highlighted the symbolic significance of ASEAN's 11 member states, equating it to the number of players on a football team, emphasizing readiness to win matches together. While details on how the new FIFA ASEAN Cup will impact the existing ASEAN Championship Cup were not provided, FIFA expressed commitment to collaboration and fostering unity through football in the region.