The 33rd Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress held in Manama, Bahrain, on Wednesday, has re-elected Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who was the sole candidate, as the Confederation’s President by acclamation for a third four-year term until 2027.
Shaikh Salman, who took over as the 10th AFC President in 2013, was re-elected unopposed as the AFC President and FIFA Vice-President in 2015, before being appointed as the FIFA Senior Vice-President in 2018. In 2019, the Bahraini was re-elected once again unopposed to both positions for a four-year term.
The AFC President said: “I want to thank you all again for your overwhelming support for my candidacy to lead Asian football for another four years.
“I embrace my duty with great pride and honour. So many milestones have been achieved and yet there remains so much more for us to accomplish together. And most importantly, our achievement underlines the stability and unity of the strong foundations that we have built together in the last decade.
“As we look ahead, let me assure you that the AFC will continue to place the development of our Member Associations and Regional Associations at the heart of all our efforts.”
Shaikh Salman also took the opportunity to express his deepest sympathies to the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar football community on the passing of former FIFA Council member, AFC Vice President and QFA Vice President Saoud A. Aziz M A Al-Mohannadi.
“Our dear brother Saoud Al-Mohannadi dedicated so much of his life towards the development of Asian and world football. He was fully committed towards uplifting the standards of the AFC’s competitions and we will always remember his contributions to the Asian game,” added Shaikh Salman.
At the same time, the AFC President conveyed his appreciation to the outgoing AFC Executive Committee and FIFA Council members and congratulated the newly elected members of the 2023 to 2027 term.
“I must also convey my gratitude to my esteemed AFC Executive Committee members who have served alongside me these past four years for their commitment to steering Asian football through its most difficult crisis in modern history.
“History will reflect with distinction your remarkable contributions to the Asian game, which will always be cherished in the years to come.
Shaikh Salman continued: “Congratulations to all those who have been successfully elected to the AFC Executive Committee and the FIFA Council. We know that the hard work begins immediately, and I look forward to serving with you, but we have great foundations to build on. I am confident that we can take Asian football to even greater heights.”
Source: The-AFC.com
