HA NOI (VNS)— Myanmar will host the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup in 2016.

Hosts of the 27th Southeast Asian Games, Myanmar won the right to host the Cup along with the Philippines Football Federation. Both countries will host the group stage for the first time.

The preceding qualifying competition will be held in Cambodia.

The AFF Council also decided on the host venues and tentative dates for AFF events next year. The under-16 Preparatory Tournament will be held in Indonesia in September. The women's championship will be held in Thailand in August. The futsal championship will be held in Malaysia from September 17-28.

The AFF Council will also organise an ASEAN All-Stars Charity Football Match to help raise funds for those affected by typhoon Haiyan which struck the Philippines recently.

The council revealed that the match will be held in the city of Bacolod in the Philippines. The match date is yet to be confirmed. It is likely to be played between the All-Stars Team, who were named during the AFF Awards earlier this year, and the Philippines national squad.

Coach future

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) has rejected a request for resignation by coach Hoang Van Phuc after the failure of the national under-23 football team at the Myanmar SEA Games.

Phuc took responsibility of the team's loss in a report sent to the VFF on Monday.

In the report, he reviewed the team's training, participation in friendly matches and performance at the Games, and the lessons learnt from the failure.

"I do not blame anybody for this loss. It is football. When you win you will have everything, but if you lose, people will see problems everywhere," Phuc said.

The coach said that he took the ‘hot seat' when national football was facing a lot of problems. However, he did not plead these challenges as the reasons for the disappointing performance.

"I am the head coach. I will shoulder all the blame and comments as the U23s were not successful. I have told VFF general secretary Ngo Le Bang that I want to quit. It is time to prepare for the coming tournaments. It is time to re-do everything. I thought that I need to take a decision so that VFF can take initiatives to build their plans," Phuc said.

The coach has also contacted VFF acting chairman Le Hung Dung to convey his opinion.

According to VFF deputy chairman Nguyen Lan Trung, Phuc has signed a work contract with the VFF. He has a right to quit, but if VFF does not agree, he will have to continue his job.

As planned, Phuc will take charge of the national team in a match against Hong Kong in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifying round at the Ha Noi's My Dinh Stadium on March 5. — VNS