AFF Cup 2020 set to take place this December, draw slated for August 10

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has confirmed that the 2020 AFF Cup will go ahead this December as previously planned despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the group stage draw slated for August 10.

The 2020 AFF Cup will take place this December.
The 2020 AFF Cup will take place this December.

Specifically, the regional championship is scheduled to take place from December 5 to 31, with its format possibly moving from home and away matches as usual to being held at centralised venues, in order to ensure safety amidst COVID-19 fears.

The tournament was originally scheduled to run from November 23 to December 31, 2020, but was then rescheduled at least twice due to the pandemic - first postponed to mid-April 2021 and later pushed back further to December.

AFF President Sameth Khiev said: “We are aware of the need to be prepared for the impacts of COVID-19 on the tournament. Changes can happen and we have to stand ready to play in centralised venues because safety is a top priority. Organisational plans for the tournament will be announced later this month.”

The draw for the 2020 AFF Cup is expected to be held on August 10. Accordingly, 10 teams will be drawn into two groups of five teams. There will be five seeding pots for the draw, with Pot 1 featuring reigning title holders Vietnam and 2016 champions Thailand.

2018 runners-up Malaysia join Indonesia in Pot 2, while the Philippines and Myanmar make up Pot 3. Pot 4 consists of Singapore and Cambodia, with the last pot featuring Laos and Timor Leste or Brunei.

Vietnam are the reigning AFF Cup champions.

Three years ago, coach Park Hang-seo’s Vietnamese side outplayed Malaysia with an aggregate score of 3-2 in the final of the 2018 AFF Cup to take the overall trophy for the second time in history.