{
  "id": 6565543,
  "title": "Infantino: FIFA ASEAN Cup Provides a Level Playing Field",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/infantino-fifa-asean-cup-provides-a-level-playing-field",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-10T08:48:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tempo.co English",
    "slug": "tempo-co-english",
    "url": "https://en.tempo.co/read/2119330/infantino-fifa-asean-cup-provides-a-level-playing-field"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that the FIFA ASEAN Cup ensures a level playing field for Southeast Asian nations. The tournament aims to enhance football connections across the region while providing fans with memorable moments and exciting international play, according to Infantino in a FIFA statement on September 9, as reported by ANTARA. The inaugural edition of the tournament is scheduled to be held from September 24 to October 5, with 14 countries participating - 11 Southeast Asian nations along with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. Indonesia will serve as the host for Division One, with the matches held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung Regency. Division One is split into two groups, with Indonesia in Group A alongside Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Singapore, and Group B featuring Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines. The second division, hosted by Hong Kong, consists of two groups of three teams each, along with Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. Each division will employ a single round-robin format, where each team competes against the others once. The group winners from each division will proceed to the final to vie for the trophy, while the group runners-up from the first division will participate in a third-place match.",
  "summary": "Gianni Infantino said that the FIFA ASEAN Cup provides equal competitive opportunities for Southeast Asian nations.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}