India will bid to host the 2011 Asia Cup football tournament, the All India Football Federation said on Friday.
Other countries interested in staging the event are Iran, who hosted the tournament in 1968 and '76, and Bangladesh.
"We have expressed our desire to host the 2011 Asia Cup. We have to submit a lot of documentation and require government permissions. We will be discussing the details when
AFC general secretary Peter Velappan comes to India next week," AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco said from Margao, Goa.
Asia's premier tournament, which is held every four years, is rotated among the four zones (East, West, ASEAN and South-Central) and it will be the turn of South and Central Asian countries in 2011.
The last date for submission of all the relevant documents is July 29 after which AFC teams will visit the countries to inspect the facilities. The host city is expected to be announced at the AFC Executive Committee meeting in November this year.
Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are co-hosting the next edition in 2007. China hosted the 2004 Asian Cup which was won by Japan.
Colaco also said the AIFF has not yet decided on a replacement for chief coach Stephen Constantine.
"We have not decided on a foreign coach as yet. We have sought the help of AFC and various other National Associations," he added.
On the progress of the work for the 'Football House' in Delhi, Colaco said construction work is on schedule.
"The AIFF football house is not behind schedule. Construction started on July 31, 2004. What took some time was obtaining all the permissions from various agencies involved," Colaco said.
He, however, declined to answer questions on bids to secure telecast rights from AIFF, saying it comes under the purview of the three-member committee constituted to evaluate and decide on the bids.
