Underlining the Committee’s commitment to purposeful action, the landmark “Football for Dignity” programme was formally approved to drive cross-community inclusion and education over the next three years (January 2027-December 2029).
Managed by the Kuala Lumpur-based Dignity for Children Foundation—which has served underprivileged youth since 1998—this three-year initiative expands on the successful Dignity Cup platform, which has engaged over 11,030 players since 2006.
Each year, the “Football for Dignity” programme will deliver peace education workshops to approximately 40 schools, mandate football-based training sessions on conflict resolution and fair play, host an annual “Peace Camp” for cultural exchange, and conclude with the Dignity Cup tournament.
Crucially, the initiative aims to engage an estimated 1,350 refugees and asylum seekers annually from 22 countries, alongside local public, private, international, and indigenous school communities.
Reflecting on recent milestones, Chairperson Zaw Zaw recognised the role of the inaugural AFC Dream Asia Foundation Conference 2025, held last October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for showcasing the importance of closer partnerships in expanding the reach and force of football to improve lives and uplift local communities.
Building directly on this momentum, the Committee welcomed the formalisation of new partnerships with two other prominent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Asia through the recently signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Indonesia’s Yayasan ASA Asia and The Lost Food Project from Malaysia.
To expand this overall footprint responsibly, the Committee also lauded the introduction of new programme audits designed to maximise transparency and show the real-world value of all funded projects. This initiative is closely tied to the official release of the updated AFC Social Responsibility Toolkit 2026 in August, which offers Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) a practical guide to designing effective, localised social programmes.
At the same time, the newly expanded AFC Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy 2026 also launched in August, which sets out concrete measures and the highest standards of safety for youth and children, was also singled out for praise.
To support these policy updates with practical education, the Committee commended the strong regional uptake of the AFC Certificate in Child Safeguarding (ACCS). Delivered through the AFC Academic Centre of Excellence, the specialised programme has achieved significant engagement, with 208 participants completing the Insights course, 162 finishing the Fundamentals module, and 124 successfully graduating from the Essentials level.
Most importantly, this commitment to prioritising the safety and security of all children and young people has translated into direct action on the ground, with a dedicated Child Safeguarding Officer now present and effecting purposeful change across nearly all of the Confederation’s MAs and RAs.
Members of the Committee also acknowledged the growing momentum of the UN Football for the Goals initiative, with membership rising to 38 MAs and five RAs, up from 29 and four respectively from the previous meeting – a steady expansion that proves that Asian football stands ready to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to implement meaningful change across the Continent.
Following the Committee’s initial approval via correspondence, members noted with appreciation the subsequent endorsement by the AFC Dream Asia Foundation (ADAF) Board of Trustees of four additional critical community proposals. These include the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s “Rebuild, Better, Stronger” Programme, Myanmar Football Federation’s Mandalay Football Academy Recovery Programme, Kawasaki Frontale’s “Blue Dream” Programme and Sharjah Football Club’s “Football for Hope” Programme.
The meeting concluded with the Committee receiving updates on all ongoing and completed social responsibility programmes across Asian football along with more comprehensive reviews of the successfully concluded West Asian Football Federation (WAFF): Child Safeguarding Seminar 2025 and South Asian Football Federation (SAFF): Social Responsibility Seminar 2025.