New Delhi, Jul 6 (IANS): The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Tuesday confirmed two new venues and host cities for the premier continental competition.

The new venues are the Mumbai Football Arena, Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai and the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune. The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will remain as the third venue for the tournament, scheduled to take place from January 20 to February 6.

The tournament had earlier been awarded to Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, and Navi Mumbai. But due to the travel involved and with the Covid-19 pandemic still raging, the venues have been changed and the matches will now be played at venues in close proximity.

"As the situation evolved, we had to adapt and the need was to create a bio-secure bubble. Hence, we chose Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune, venues in close geographical proximity with stadiums that have previously hosted major football competitions," said Praful Patel, president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and chairman of the LOC in a statement.

"Japan, Australia, China and hosts India have already sealed their places in the finals and the race to join the quartet will take centrestage from September when 28 teams across eight groups begin their quest to clinch the eight remaining places in the newly-expanded continental women's showpiece," said the statement.