KUALA LUMPUR: The location of the AFC Cup final between North Korea’s 4.25 SC and Lebanon’s Al Ahed has been switched yet again and will now be played in Kuala Lumpur, the Asian Football Confederation said on Friday.

Earlier this week, the continental governing body moved the final to Shanghai from Pyongyang due to international economic sanctions affecting North Korea, after North and South Korea last week played a surreal match in an empty stadium.

The AFC said the decision was based on considerations over the televising and promotion of the game so that it is viewable throughout Asia and the Middle East.

The AFC did not provide any reason for the latest switch but said the final will now be played at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium on November 4, two days later than the originally scheduled date.

Announcing the first change of venue earlier this week, the AFC did not mention the World Cup qualifier in Pyongyang but said that commercial partners had warned of challenges in broadcasting the game.

Last week’s match — a historic encounter between two countries still technically at war — took place with no live broadcast and no foreign media in attendance, and with FIFA president Gianni Infantino one of just a handful of spectators.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2019