AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and UAE Football Association President Yousuf Yaqoob Yousuf Al Serkal officially stamped the approval on UAE's hosting of the next edition of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 by signing the Organising Association Agreement (OAA) on Thursday.

UAE, who had previously hosted the premier Asian competition in 1996, were given the hosting rights of the 24-team competition by the AFC Executive Committee in its March 9 meeting this year.

The latest edition of the competition played in Australia in January 2015 broke all records in terms of attendance, TV viewership, digital media figures as well as on the field action.

In order to give teams from AFC's member associations more international exposure and matches, the AFC expanded the final competition from 16 to 24 teams from the 2019 edition and the UAE will be the first country to host the bigger and newer version of the competition.

Through the OAA, AFC entrusts the Organising Association with the organisation, hosting and staging of the competition to be held in the host country in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

The Organising Association, on its part, accepts all rights and obligations for the organisation, hosting and staging of the competition and further warrants, undertakes and guarantees that the organisation, hosting and staging of the competition will at all times comply with the terms of the agreement.
Source: WAM