East Asian Football Federation championship schedule announced, Hong Kong to face Japan in tournament opener
- The 2022 EAFF E-1 Championship fixtures have been confirmed for the men and women’s tournaments
- Defending champions South Korea will get their start against China on July 20 as they seek to repeat their success from the last tournament in 2019
Hong Kong will face Japan in the opening match of the East Asian Football Federation Championship when competition gets under way at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on July 19.
The showdown with Japan is one of three games the city’s men will play, with China and South Korea also competing for the right to be named East Asia’s top team.
A women’s tournament will run alongside the men’s with China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan competing for bragging rights.
The EAFF E-1 Championship is set to run from July 19 to 27 at the Kashima Soccer Stadium and Toyota Stadium. South Korea, who have won the tournament five times, will get their start against China, who last won it in 2010.
China’s will be represented by their under-23 side because the country’s senior players are being punished for bad performances during their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.
China had originally been expected to host the tournament, but the Covid-19 outbreak forced a change of plans.
