The Asian Football Confederation is considering launching a "Nations League" to boost competitiveness
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is seriously considering a proposal to organize a new national team tournament called the "AFC Nations League," as part of its ongoing efforts to develop football in Asia and raise the level of competition among national teams. This initiative aligns with global changes in the football calendar and follows the successful model launched by UEFA and CONCACAF.
Simulating the European model and replacing friendly matches
The core idea of the proposal revolves around replacing international friendly matches, which often lack strong competitive incentive, with an official league-based tournament. According to the proposed format, Asian national teams would be divided into tiers (A, B, C, and D) based on the FIFA rankings. This system would ensure that teams play on equal footing with their counterparts at the same level, thus increasing the intensity of competition and the technical benefit, unlike traditional friendlies that may pit teams of vastly different skill levels against each other.
General context and importance of the tournament for the Asian continent
This study comes at a time when Asian football is undergoing radical changes, including the recent restructuring of club competitions (the AFC Champions League) and the increase of the continent's slots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup to eight and a half. Experts believe that Asia, given its vast geographical area and the significant disparity in the levels of its national teams, urgently needs such a tournament to bridge the technical gap between top-tier teams and emerging nations.
Expected impact: FIFA rankings and national team development
The proposed AFC Nations League, if approved, is expected to have several positive effects, most notably:
- Improving the international ranking: The matches will acquire an official status, which means higher points in the FIFA ranking compared to friendly matches, which is vital for Arab and Asian teams when the draw for major tournaments is conducted.
- Constant interaction: Medium and small teams will ensure that they play a consistent number of competitive matches, which will contribute to the development of their technical and physical level.
- Marketing revenues: Official tournaments attract sponsors and television broadcasting rights that are much higher than sporadic friendly matches, boosting the coffers of national federations and the continental federation.
In conclusion, the project is still under study and research within the corridors of the Asian Football Confederation to ensure that suitable time slots are found in the busy international calendar, but indicators confirm that the general trend is moving towards adopting more competitive tournaments to ensure that Asian football remains on par with global development.
