Under the patronage of Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation and First Vice President of FIFA, the Saudi capital Riyadh will host from October 17 to 19, 2025, the third edition of the Conference of Presidents and General Secretaries of National and Regional Football Associations. The event is organized by the Asian Football Confederation with participation from a distinguished group of football leaders and experts from within and outside the continent.

The conference, attended by Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, will include interactive dialogue sessions bringing together leaders of national and regional associations, alongside presentations by international experts from FIFA, UEFA, the European Football Association, and the Oceania Football Confederation.

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa emphasized that the conference represents an important milestone in the development of Asian football, stressing the AFC’s commitment to empowering all member associations to achieve sustainable growth with a spirit of unity and excellence.

The AFC President stated: “This conference has become a platform for learning and exchanging experiences among continental and national associations, ensuring no association is left behind. Our aim is to enable all associations – regardless of size or status – to grow systematically and collectively within a framework of unity and excellence.”

He added: “Through constructive dialogue and sharing best practices, we seek to equip our national and regional associations with the most effective methods to chart a roadmap towards a brighter future for Asian football.”

He noted that organizing the conference comes at a time when Asian football is undergoing a comprehensive transformation after the 2024-2025 season, highlighting the AFC’s focus on enhancing institutional innovation, knowledge exchange, and strengthening the spirit of unity among member associations.

He expressed his gratitude to the Saudi Football Federation for its fruitful cooperation in providing ideal conditions for the success of the conference and enhancing its contributions to enriching the Asian football ecosystem.

The conference program includes presentations and interactive dialogue sessions, featuring two main sessions: the first with representatives of national associations, and the second gathering general secretaries of the five regional associations: ASEAN, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.

These sessions aim to enable football leadership to learn about the latest administrative and technical methods to face modern challenges and enhance institutional performance within their associations.

Prominent figures participating in the conference include:

    • Datuk Seri Windsor John, General Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation
    • Ilkan Mamadov, Director of Member Associations at FIFA
    • Michele Uva, Executive Director of UEFA
    • Frédéric Guimond, Chief Operating Officer of the Oceania Football Confederation
    • Abdulaziz Al-Ofaleq, President of the Saudi Professional League
    • Patrick Knight, Strategy Director at City Football Group

Alongside a select group of international experts and consultants in sports development and modern technologies.