The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s commitment to strengthening the capabilities of the Asian football family will take centrestage at the AFC Member Associations (MAs) & Regional Associations (RAs) General Secretaries’ Conference 2022, which for the first time will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 13 to 15 in conjunction with the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh.

Firmly established as a marquee event in the AFC’s calendar, the widely acclaimed Conference will bring together the leadership of the Asian football family who will be given the opportunity to benefit from highly engaging and in-depth programmes delivered by some of the most renowned experts in Asian and world football.

Emphasising the importance of the Conference in further solidifying the spirit of partnership between the AFC and its MAs and RAs, the AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, said: “Our General Secretaries are key members of the Asian football ecosystem, and this Conference exemplifies yet again the AFC’s commitment, as outlined in its Vision and Mission, to strengthen the development of our Members and Regional Associations.

“It provides the most conducive setting for engendering meaningful dialogue, facilitating knowledge exchange, and championing the best practices, all of which ultimately lead to stronger MAs and RAs and a more dynamic Asian football family.

“As we have seen throughout this pandemic, the solidarity and unity of the AFC and its MAs and RAs have never been stronger, so it is imperative that we continue to build on our solid foundations to deliver common outcomes and goals as we seek to collectively create a brighter and better future for the Asian game.”

The AFC President also underlined the gratitude of the AFC and the Asian football family to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation for hosting the Conference this year, which marks the first time it will be staged by an AFC MA.

Shaikh Salman added: “I am confident that our MAs and RAs will benefit immensely from the enhancements that will be introduced in this year’s Conference and on behalf of the Asian football family, we must express our heartfelt appreciation to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation for their willingness to host the Conference, particularly in this current challenging climate.”

In addition to featuring high-level speakers, the Conference will also introduce participants to various aspects of the Confederation’s work, whilst at the same time, present a comprehensive view of the AFC’s ground-breaking development programmes and initiatives aimed at elevating the capabilities of the AFC’s MAs and RAs.

(AFC)