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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s commitment to uphold the highest standards of good governance, as underlined in its Mission, marked a significant milestone today after the AFC Executive Committee approved the formation of the AFC Reform Taskforce at its third meeting held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Held on the eve of the FIFA Club World Cup Final, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC President, began the meeting by extending his gratitude to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) for their warm hospitality and hosting their first ever AFC Executive Committee meeting. He also hailed the Kingdom’s bold ambitions to emerge as a significant player in global football.
Shaikh Salman said: “This is the first time the AFC Executive Committee is meeting in Saudi Arabia, and I would like to convey our appreciation to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation for being such gracious hosts. We must also commend FIFA, the Saudi Arabian authorities, and the Local Organising Committee for hosting a truly memorable FIFA Club World Cup.
“At the same time, Saudi Arabia has quickly become the focal point of global football and we applaud the world-class efforts of the SAFF. The AFC stands ever ready to assist them in their resolute aspirations to further develop the beautiful game across all levels.”
Shaikh Salman also noted the progressive strides and proactive measures undertaken by the Confederation to conform to the highest ethical standards and in modernising its governance structures in recent years.
The AFC President said: “When the AFC Governance Reform Task Force introduced its full range of reforms in 2016, the AFC had raised its governance standards to firmly establish itself as a model Confederation. Back then, we took great pride in introducing several reforms which were eventually implemented by FIFA.”
“With the establishment of the AFC Reform Taskforce, we want to ensure that the AFC remains at the forefront of implementing the best governance practices, and it is worth reminding everyone as we embark on this process that we must always strive to strengthen our great game for our future generations.”
“With the unity and support of our members, I have no doubt that the AFC will continue to lead the way forward in good governance across the sporting world, and I am confident that we will set the stage for us to usher in a new era – a future where Asian football dominates the biggest stages in world football,” added Shaikh Salman.
The AFC Executive Committee was also briefed by the member from the Palestine Football Association (PFA) Susan Shalabi, who shared insights into the difficulties and hardships endured by the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, due to the ongoing conflict. The members unanimously conveyed their strong support and expressed solidarity with the PFA and the Palestinian people, with Shaikh Salman reiterating the AFC’s unwavering commitment to standing by the PFA during these challenging times.
The AFC President earlier welcomed Valentino San Gil (East Asian Football Federation representative) and Mijgona Mahmadalieva (co-opted member) to the Executive Committee.
The AFC Executive Committee was also informed that the Korea Football Association (KFA) would be the Host Association for two marquee AFC events – the AFC Annual Awards 2023 and the AFC Member Associations & Regional Associations Presidents’ and General Secretaries’ Conference 2024.
The members of the AFC Reform Taskforce will be announced in due course.
