Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)'s EmergencyCommittee has proposed postponing its flagship tournament, the AFF Cup, andholding it in April 2021.

The committee determined that the competition could not be held in November2020 as intended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting of the committee was held by AFF President Khiev Sameth to discussholding the tournament amid the complex COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Tran Quoc Tuan, deputy president of the Vietnam FootballFederation (VFF), the AFF Cup is an important event in regional football andthe AFF's responsibility is to ensure the tournament is successful in everyway.

The proposal will be submitted to the AFF Council for consideration.

However, the move has already been opposed by Indonesia as that's when theyhave to prepare for hosting the U20 World Cup finals which start in May and itis also close to Ramadan which will runs from April 23 to May 23, said YunusNusi, Secretary-General of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI).

“We cannot make a choice and have to wait and see if the tournament takes placebefore or after the U20 World Cup finals. PSSI will then send the proposal toAFF,” he said.

Vietnam is the defending champion of the tournament after winning the 2018edition.

With two AFF Cup championships, the first in 2008, Vietnam is the third-mostsuccessful team in the competition's history, after Thailand with five triumphsand Singapore with four.

If the AFF Cup is held in 2021, the VFF will follow the plans of FIFA and theAFC to take the initiative in preparing the team for the 2022 World CupQualifiers.

Vietnam’s World Cup qualifiers are expected to take place in October and November./.