KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — The wish to witness the Asean countries to co-host the 2034 World Cup may be realised.

This follows a meeting involving five Asean countries including Malaysia which will gather in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the requirements and commitments set by the International Football Federation (Fifa).

National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, who attended the Asean Sports Ministers Meeting in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, said: “ It is because there are terms of the Fifa bidding requirements that require some scrutiny, so at the meeting we agreed to set up a technical working group to study in more detail with regard to bidding documents.”

“We will also invite the Asean national football associations to join this group to discuss how we can continue our effort to offer to become a host,” he said when met after the launching of National Sports Day (HSN), the highlight of the National Sports Month celebration at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, today.

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Ahmad Shapawi said the meeting, the date of which has still not been finalised, was not to discuss on the bidding but rather to discuss the strengths and potentials of Asean countries that could be offered to convince Fifa.

On June 23, Asean chairman, Gen Prayuth Chan o-cha announced that all 10 Asean member countries had agreed to develop a joint bid to host the 2034 World Cup.

The idea of a joint bid to host the biggest football tournament in the world was proposed to regional leaders at the 34th Asean Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

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The five Asean countries are Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. — Bernama