The agreement includes all major AFC national team and club competitions, including but not limited to the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™, the AFC Asian Cup China 2023™, as well as the AFC Champions League™ and AFC Cup™ from the 2021 season, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™, AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Paris 2024, among many others.

ESPN’s pan-regional Latin America network was launched in 1989 and broadcasts high-definition content in Spanish, Portuguese and English to audiences in more than 15 countries. ESPN and its impressive portfolio of rights covering all major soccer leagues, rugby, tennis, cricket, golf events to MLB, NFL and the NBA is accessible for over 39.5 million homes across the various territories.

Moreover, ESPN is also present on Star+, The Walt Disney Company Latin America’s streaming service for general entertainment and sports content, including live sports events and ESPN’s regional original productions.

Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “The AFC’s competitions have grown into some of the finest in world football and this partnership with ESPN exemplifies the stature, prestige and worldwide appeal of our world-class competitions all across the globe.

“We are happy to have this agreement with ESPN to enhance the consumption and reach of our competitions in the football-loving Latin America and Central America regions and we are grateful to ESPN for their confidence in the AFC and in the future of the Asian game.”

Patrick Murphy, Board Member and CEO at Football Marketing Asia said: “We are delighted to welcome ESPN as our valued media partner exclusively in Latin America and Central America, as well as non-exclusively in the Caribbean.

“ESPN is one of the biggest broadcasters in the whole of LATAM and Central American regions, hence we are looking forward to the extensive coverage ESPN will provide and we are excited to start working closely with ESPN’s teams to bring the best of Asian national team and club football to fans and audiences in these territories.”

Needing a draw or better to qualify as group winners, Mai Duc Chung’s side were too slick and too experienced for Tajikistan, with Pham Hai Yen and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy scoring two goals apiece.

In addition to booking their place at India 2022, the result keeps Vietnam’s bid for a maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification alive, while Tajikistan’s dream of a first ever trip to the continental Finals was extinguished.

This week’s action brought sensational goals in Portugal and France, two of East Asia’s biggest stars faced off in London, while two Australians made superb first impressions in Britain. Based on matches played from September 22 to 29, study our list of contenders, and don’t forget to register your vote.

From high-scoring forwards to those that create the goals and win the ball back, we shine the spotlight on the players whose statistics stood out as the continental competition nears its exciting climax.

The former Kawasaki Frontale player was a key member of Japan’s Olympic team as Hajime Moriyasu led the country to the semi-finals of the tournament on home soil, but he was not selected for the Asian Qualifiers' ties against Oman and China PR last month.

 

The Japanese lost their opening game against the Omanis before handing Li Tie’s team a 1-0 defeat in Doha to sit in fourth place in Group B with three points from their first two matches.

 

Abdullah Otayf, Salem Al Dawsari and Mohammed Al Burayk were all left out due to injuries while Abdullah Al Hamdan and Ali Al Asmari were dropped by Renard.