Asian football changed this week on what was otherwise an unremarkable Monday in October with the center of power moving further westwards.
Sometimes what happens off the pitch can be as fascinating as what happens on it, and that is especially the case with Asia playing an increasingly important role in the world of football.
As soon as the World Cup finishes in Qatar, there will be a short break and then thoughts will turn to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup that will be held in the same country, having beaten off competition from South Korea and Indonesia to be named as the host of the continent’s biggest tournament after China gave up their staging rights in May due to Beijing’s zero COVID-19 policy.
The decision, taken by a vote of the Asian Football Confederation’s executive committee in Kuala Lumpur, has had a number of consequences.