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Hong Kong keen on hosting games

Hong Kong would be delighted to host English Premier League matches if a plan to play games abroad goes ahead, the head of the city's soccer association was quoted as saying yesterday.

"This is certainly exciting news for Hong Kong. Hong Kong was the first city mentioned," Hong Kong Football Association chairman Brian Leung told the South China Morning Post.

"That's probably because we did a fine job hosting the Barclays Asia Trophy and the Premier League was very pleased with our organization and our arrangements," he said.

Liverpool, Fulham and Portsmouth played in front of packed crowds at the 40,000-seater Hong Kong Stadium last July in the Asia Trophy, an exhibition tournament hosted every two years by a different Asian city.

Leung said he had maintained regular contact with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore since the tournament and had already confirmed Hong Kong's interest in hosting any Premiership games.

Chairmen of the league's 20 clubs agreed this week to explore a plan for an "international round" of matches under which each team would play an extra match every January at one of five overseas venues.

The results would count towards the final league table.

Hong Kong, Dubai, Johannesburg and New York were all mentioned as possible venues for the matches, which could start in the 2010/2011 season. However, the proposal has by no means been confirmed.
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