Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA First Vice President, reiterated the AFC’s commitment to supporting its member associations during the 35th AFC General Assembly, which concluded on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In his address, the AFC President highlighted the remarkable progress made since the previous General Assembly, highlighting the increased financial investment directed to support national and regional associations. This year saw the organization of the best-ever edition of the AFC Asian Cup, hosted by Qatar, and a record 16 continental tournaments, compared to only 11 in 2023.

The AFC President said: “The reforms of our competitions, both at the men’s and women’s club levels, are a fundamental pillar of our ambitions, as outlined in our Vision and Mission, and I am pleased to confirm that the foundations upon which we rely to achieve new levels of excellence in Asian football are stronger today than ever.”

He added: “We are proud of what we have achieved during this period, and the progress achieved is largely due to the unity and solidarity of the Asian football family in supporting the reform process, in addition to the AFC’s support for its members at all levels.” The meeting also witnessed the approval of the AFC budget for 2025 and 2026, in addition to the ratification of the audited financial statements for 2024 and the auditors’ report, with total investment expenditure increasing by 63.9 percent to reach US$303 million in 2024. Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa affirmed: “The AFC continues to consolidate its commitment to developing the game on the continent by enhancing investment in support programs specifically designed to meet the needs of national and regional associations, in addition to a comprehensive package of development programs.” He added: “This is an exciting time for Asian football, and the coming years represent an extension of our shared journey, as we continue to strive to exceed expectations, achieve unprecedented levels of success, and consolidate the AFC’s position as one of the most prominent continental confederations in the world.” Meanwhile, Sheikh Salman expressed his confidence in the organizational capabilities of both the Australian and Saudi Arabian Football Federations, as the host federations for the 2026 and 2027 AFC Women’s Asian Cups, respectively.