KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -Malaysia is likely to scrap a July match with Manchester United after Asian soccer officials condemned the tour as unethical, because it clashes with the region's flagship tournament, a Malaysian official said Tuesday.
The news came amid a strong call by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who attended the Asian Football Confederation congress in Malaysia, for Manchester United to reschedule its trip.
The English Premier League champion is scheduled to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Macau in a tour that will coincide with AFC's 16-nation Asian Cup to be played from July 7 to 29 in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Manchester United is due to play in Malaysia on July 27, two days before the Asian Cup final in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia, voiced hopes that Manchester United could "rearrange their schedule."
"If at all they want to come during that time, they can't," Tengku Abdullah told reporters. "By the look of it, the Asian Cup will have to take precedence."
Another Malaysian official said the final decision rests with the Malaysian government, which invited Manchester United to come as part of celebrations marking Malaysia's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.
Asian soccer officials are worried that the presence of one of the world's most recognizable sporting franchises would overshadow the quadrennial tournament.
Asia is a lucrative market for top European clubs, and Manchester United has a strong following throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Blatter said in a speech to the AFC congress that Manchester United is "welcome" to Asia - but not at a time "when we are playing, according to an international calendar accepted by the whole football family, our biggest competition in July here in Asia."
He said European teams that travel to Asia should consider giving back to the region through charity activities and sports clinics for youths, instead of merely "coming in, training, sleeping, playing and going away."
AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam also said Manchester's planned visit would compete directly with the AFC Asian Cup for spectator interest, television viewership and ticket sales.
"This is a lack of respect. This is completely unethical, immoral and unacceptable," Hammam said.
He called on the countries involved to reschedule the tour.
"This is the time for us to demonstrate our unity and solidarity by putting Asian football first in Asia," he said.
Malaysian officials recently announced the Manchester United match, part of a deal signed last year for the Manchester club to support tourism in this Southeast Asian country.
The Football Association of Malaysia has denied the match would undermine attendance at Asian Cup matches to be staged in Malaysia.
