2012 AFC Challenge Cup: Three countries bid to host

Three out of the eight finalists of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup have shown interest to host the bi-annual event and India isn't amongst the nations who have bid to host the tournament. The bidding nations are the Maldives, Nepal and Palestine.

Now the AFC has requested the football associations of Maldives, Nepal, and Palestine to sign the Organising Association Agreement (OAA) and the List of Requirements (LOR) after the three expressed their interest.

The AFC has created the AFC Challenge Cup as a second-tier national team competition for developing footballing nations across the continent. The 2006 edition was held in Bangladesh and won by Tajikistan, in 2008 hosts India won the tournament, while the 2010 edition held in Sri Lanka which was won by North Korea. Also since 2008 the champions of the AFC Challenge Cup earn a place in the finals of the AFC Asian Cup, an added impetus for nations to field their best sides and win the title.

The 2012 edition will see Palestine, the Philippines, India, Turkmenistan, Maldives, Tajikistan, North Korea and Nepal in action with a place in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia up for grabs.

The host for the 2012 edition is likely to be decided by the AFC Organising Committee for President's Cup and Challenge Cup during its meeting at the AFC headquarters on June 14, 2011.