The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) will be in a stronger position to develop football across the Continent with the new AFC Enhance Member Association Programme and AFC Enhance Regional Association Programme, which were ratified by the AFC Executive Committee at its eighth meeting on November 21, 2021.

Football in Asia will ultimately benefit from the two programmes that will equip the AFC’s MAs and RAs with the capabilities in establishing and implementing long-term and sustainable plans in the sport.

Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC President, said: “A strong Confederation relies on strong members and the continued development of our Member and Regional Associations will always remain at the heart of all our efforts, as underlined in the AFC’s Vision and Mission.

“The COVID-19 pandemic affected economies around the world but through the resilience of our MAs and RAs, football is beginning to return to normalcy and together we must ensure that football continues to grow.

“The revamped programmes will essentially empower our MAs and RAs to further enhance the sport through various programmes and projects that will create a positive impact and leave a lasting legacy.”

Under the new AFC Enhance Member Association Programme, the AFC’s MAs will have the opportunity to utilise the full quota of USD2 million over a four-year cycle, with a maximum allocation of USD500,000 per year.

Additionally, the RAs will receive an allocation of USD1 million over four years, with a maximum allocation of USD250,000 per year.

Through the enhanced funding model, the AFC’s MAs will be able to utilise the funding in three main areas – Administration, Competition Management and Infrastructure Development while the AFC’s RAs can utilise the funding for Administrative Salaries, Operational Expenses and Special Projects.

Additionally, Beneficiary MAs are required to have in place a four-year strategic plan by 2023 (completed or in the process of completion) and RAs are required to establish a four-year strategic plan by 2022 (completed or in the process of completion) and adhere to the audit and compliance best practices outlined by the AFC, paving the way for a more systematic and enduring approach to development whilst ensuring the highest standards of good governance and utmost accountability.

The AFC will actively engage with its MAs and RAs to provide guidance on prudent financial planning to ensure that Asian football continues to grow and scale even greater heights in the coming years.