The 35th Congress of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event was attended by a delegation from the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA), led by Ravshan Irmatov, the AFC Executive Committee member for the Central Asian region and First Vice President of the UFA.

During the event, AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa shared his thoughts on the future of Asian football and the continued development of member national and regional associations.

“We are implementing new projects and reforms aimed at further strengthening Asian football. These initiatives and collaborations play a crucial role in building a solid foundation for the future of football in the region. We aim to enhance cooperation between clubs and national teams, as well as promote football on the international stage through regional competitions,” said the AFC President.

It was highlighted during the Congress that seven bids have been submitted to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup. Joint bids from countries such as Australia, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Kuwait, the UAE, and a group including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan present opportunities to organize a more attractive and successful tournament.
“A record number of countries have submitted bids for the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, which further underlines the growing significance of Asian football on the global stage,” added Shaikh Salman.

The AFC President also extended condolences to those affected by the recent natural disasters in Palestine, Myanmar, and Thailand. Other items on the agenda were also addressed and the organization’s reports were approved during the Congress.