As the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship approaches, Chinese media has sharply criticized the host country, Korea's, preparedness.

On the 25th, Leichang Sports noted, "A shocking event has occurred ahead of the 2025 East Asian Cup. Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will not be used in this tournament. The reason is budget constraints," aiming at both the host country, Korea, and the EAFF.

The EAFF E-1 Championship will be held from July 7 to 16 in three cities in Gyeonggi Province, Korea (Yongin, Suwon, and Hwaseong). Men's matches will take place at Yongin Mir Stadium, while women's matches will be held at Suwon World Cup Stadium and Hwaseong Sports Complex. The Korean men's national team will start with the opening match against China on the 7th, followed by matches against Hong Kong on the 11th and Japan on the 15th.

The issue raised by Chinese media is not limited to the non-operation of VAR. Leichang Sports criticized, "The roster announced by the host country, Korea, does not include any star players playing in major European leagues. Most are K League players, and some are only resources active in the Japanese J League."

In fact, the 23-man roster for the men's national team includes 20 players from the K League along with Kim Tae-hyun from Kashima Antlers and Na Sang-ho and Oh Se-hoon, who are playing for Matsumoto Yamaga, from the J League. This result is a consequence of difficulties in calling up overseas players. The E-1 Championship is not during the FIFA-designated A-match period, leading to the selection of domestically based players.

However, China interpreted this as proof that Korea essentially considers the East Asian Cup a "B-level tournament." They claimed, "It seems to be justifying player development, but doesn't it effectively show a lack of significance for the tournament itself?" They further stated, "The experimental nature highlighted over inter-country competition appears irresponsible for a host country."

The most sensitive issue is the non-application of VAR. The EAFF stated, "We assigned referees from Southeast Asia to ensure the fairness of the tournament, and the decision not to implement VAR is due to budget limitations."

In response, Leichang Sports remarked, "Korea and Japan have teams with the highest level of strength in Asia, and China also regards this tournament as very important." Nonetheless, they argued, "The failure to even operate the VAR system properly demonstrates Korea's 'lack of sincerity.'"

They also pointed out, "The biggest victims in a match without VAR could be the referees," and stated, "Especially if controversy arises in Korea's home games, doubts about favorable decisions for the host nation cannot be avoided."

Additionally, they harshly criticized, "It is incomprehensible that such an incident occurs in Korea, which has the highest levels of economic power, infrastructure, and technology in Asia."

Korea has consistently shown a strong performance in the East Asian Cup. In the last 2019 and 2022 tournaments, the men's national team lifted the trophy consecutively, and the women's team has formed a strong rivalry with Japan. However, this year's tournament is creating a different atmosphere due to the absence of European players and the non-application of VAR.

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