May 16 – Speaking after the AFC Executive Committee meeting and before Thursday’s AFC Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has emphasised that the Asian Cup Qatar 2023, played in January/February this year, will prove a breakthrough moment for the confederation.
“The unparalleled success of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ is our collective moment of pride, made possible only through an unwavering dedication to progressing Asian football to the next level through unity, solidarity and cooperation,” said Shaikh Salman.
The Asian Cup broke every metric for the competition from attendances to broadcast audiences and social media engagement. Salman says that it has provided a platform for the launch of its new club competition structure, and plans to increase its competition calendar.
“The success of the AFC Asian Cup augurs well for the launch of our new club competitions – the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2, the AFC Women’s Champions League and the AFC Challenge League, which are set to transform the club football landscape across Asia, with bigger prize funds and increased travel incentives,” said Salman.
“The successful delivery of no less than 11 AFC competitions in 2023 also signals the full resumption of football and full credit goes to the Member Associations and Regional Associations for their proactive approach and enthusiasm in hosting the AFC’s tournaments, which has enabled us to look to the future with confidence.”
Salman also referenced the confederation’s commitment to governance reforms enabled through the AFC Reform Taskforce.
“The AFC’s unwavering dedication to advancing football development is clear from the strategic reforms we have embarked upon in all areas of the game and it is thanks to this same proactive spirit that the AFC delivered our best ever AFC Asian Cup in Doha,” said Salman.
“The AFC stands solidly with FIFA in strengthening our governance structures and thank FIFA for their continuous support in this area. Reforms are important to keep pace with the changing times and the AFC has been at the forefront of introducing timely revisions, be it with our statutes, regulations, or competitions.”
Separately Salman announced the year’s AFC Distinguished and Lifetime Achievement Awards which will be presented during a ceremony at the 34th AFC Congress in Bangkok tomorrow. The inaugural awardees are:
- Asian women’s football trailblazer Dr Veronica Chan Yiu Kam of Hong Kong, China (AFC Lifetime Achievement Award)
- AFC Senior Vice President and President of the Myanmar Football Federation Zaw Zaw (AFC Distinguished Service Award)
- The late Lim Kia Tong, former President of the Football Association of Singapore and esteemed Chairperson of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.
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