Oceania athletes are set to be invited to compete at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, it was announced at the 38th Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly on Sunday.

The Asian Games is a continental multi-sport event for men and women held every four years all over Asia. The next event will be held between September 10-25, 2022, in China.

The Asian Games are a huge tournament for men's and women's football. In the men's final last September, English Premier League star Son Heung-Min helped South Korea to a Gold Medal victory after a 2-1 extra time win over rivals Japan in Indonesia.

English Premier League star Son Heung-min after South Korea won gold at the 2018 Asian Games

The Koreans beat Iran on the way to the final and Japan took care of the UAE to reach the Gold Medal game.

Last year Japan sent mostly U-21s for men's with their sights on hosting the Olympics next year and developing that age group.

Predominantly an U-23s tournament, the Asian Games football also allows three over-age players. With women's’ football booming in Asia, Japan defeated China 1-0 last year in the women's Gold Medal game. 

“It would be fantastic for our national team to be involved in this tournament. It would be another great opportunity for the best young players to compete on the Asian stage and provide us with a guideline of where we stand at that level,” former Socceroos midfielder Brad Maloney told FTBL. 

Maloney is an assistant coach with Malaysia’s U-23 men's side and knows the Asian Games well. He has been in the dugout for the last two editions in Jakarta/Palembang 2018 and 2014 in Incheon, South Korea, and rates the tournament's quality. 

“The Asian Games are often held around August/September so potentially there may be no clash with the A-League and W-League, meaning that all locally based players should be available.

“It is also a golden opportunity to play against some of the world’s best players. For example, last year’s champions, South Korea, boasted four players that had just played in the World Cup in Russia a month earlier including Tottenham star Son Heung-Min, who was in as an overage player,” he added.

Japan beat China in the women's final

At FIFA level, Australia is part of the Asian Football Confederation. However, at the Olympic level, Australia is part of Oceania.

The Asian Games would give the best U-23s from the A-League and W-League an excellent off-season test and it offers Australia a chance to win regional silverware.

The move to include Oceania follows the participation of the Oceania countries at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.

This also means that New Zealand - with their many talented younger players coming through - and Roy Krishna's Fiji could also be invited. 

Robin Mitchell, President of the Oceania National Olympic Committees, was pleased with the decision.

"Oceania and Asia are very close economically and politically - now we are coming closer together in sport,” he reportedly told delegates.

It’s not clear if such a tournament would also double as an Olympics qualifier. The Olyroos are due to start their Asian qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 later this month in Cambodia.

There has also been speculation that a Socceroos side may compete in the “South-East Asian World Cup” - the Suzuki Cup - which is a biennial tournament in November/December. The next Suzuki Cup is set for 2020.