AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 trophy: Hallmarked Sterling Silver Bullion crafted over 140 hours

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New Delhi, January 11: The prestigious AFC Women's Asian Cup trophy, an iconic symbol of the tournament, will be lifted for only the second time when the leading 12 Asian women's teams contend for the title in India from January 20 to February 6, 2022.

The current AFC Women's Asian Cup trophy was aptly unveiled in Jordan 2018, the first time a country from the West Zone hosted the tournament, as Japan edged Australia 1-0 in the Final to emerge as the first team to lift the new trophy.

With enthralling matches poised for the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022, it will be a fitting finale when the champion raises the trophy that was beautifully crafted by world-renowned silversmiths Thomas Lyte of London.

The trophy was designed to embody the spirit and essence of the competition and it stands at an impressive 52.5cm in height and weighs 5.5 kilogrammes of Hallmarked Sterling Silver bullion.

The dazzling silverware required 140 hours of delicate and precise craftsmanship while passing through the hands of eight different craftsmen to ensure the highest quality was delivered.

While the trophy incorporates a modern design, there are discrete elements that honour the competition's long history. The striking handles, which have been cast from six solid silver bars, point to the six participants that played in the first tournament in 1975. At the base of the trophy, eight highly stylised modern women footballers decorate the plinth, capturing the strength and agility of the modern competition.

Meanwhile, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has expressed its readiness to stage Asia's marquee women's national team competition that kicks off in the next nine days.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) President and LOC Chairman Praful Patel shared the tournament's preparations leading up to the first matchday on January 20, 2022.

Praful Patel said: "All facilities to be used for the prestigious AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 are ready. Special care has been taken to make sure the best women footballers in Asia are provided with world-class infrastructure across the three venues and also the training sites.

"The pitches at all venues have been significantly upgraded to support modern football. Other facilities including dressing rooms, media tribunes, broadcast compounds and hospitality areas have been refurbished. In Pune, new floodlights with LED panels have been installed. And now, we cannot wait for the teams to come to India and play their best game."

The AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 will be played in three stadiums at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai and the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune with all three venues and training facilities spruced up.