South Korea and Japan are considering a joint bid to co-host the 2035 men’s Asian Cup, officials from both football associations confirmed on Friday, signalling a potential reunion more than two decades after co-staging the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
A Korea Football Association (KFA) representative told AFP that several hosting strategies are under review, with a shared bid alongside Japan emerging as “one possible option.”
“At this stage, joint hosting is not impossible,” the official said, emphasising that discussions remain preliminary and would require approval from both national governments before advancing.
The Japan Football Association (JFA) echoed that sentiment, noting that it is “conducting various studies” regarding a potential bid.
“We are considering bidding for the Asian Cup, and it is true that co-hosting with South Korea or other countries has been discussed as one option,” a JFA official stated. “However, nothing has been finalised, and we will announce details once our bid is formally launched.”
The Asian Football Confederation is expected to award hosting rights for both the 2031 and 2035 editions simultaneously in 2027.
South Korea last hosted the Asian Cup in 1960, while Japan staged the tournament most recently in 1992. Saudi Arabia will host the next edition in 2027.
South Korea and Japan previously co-hosted the 2002 World Cup across 20 venues — a landmark moment as the first World Cup ever held in Asia.
