36th AFC Congress 2026 (English)

[music] [music] [music] [music] >> AFC Executive Committee members, member association delegates, representatives of the regional associations, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 36th AFC Congress.

>> [music] >> Since the last Congress, Asian football continued to reach new heights.

>> [music] >> In a year defined by progress and a relentless [music] pursuit of excellence across all aspects of the game. The launch of a refreshed brand identity, a bold and dynamic reflection of the AFC's shared vision for [music] the future, laid the ground for yet another remarkable 12 months. The transformational revamped three-tier men's club competitions, as well as [music] the landmark AFC Women's Champions League, crowned their first-ever champions to set the stage for a brand new era. Success was also achieved on a global [music] scale as a record number of AFC teams secured their place at the [music] FIFA World Cup, while DPR Korea reigned supreme again at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Beyond the pitch, milestone [music] moments were registered as the AFC and its members came together to inspire social impact by bringing [music] together voices from across Asia and the world to champion inclusion, development, and community advancement. None of these achievements would be possible without the [music] unity of the AFC family. When we come together as one, there are no limits to what can be achieved. As we gather for this [music] 36th AFC Congress 2026, we do so [music] with confidence in our shared journey, our beliefs, and our collective [music] future. Let us elevate Asian football even higher and ensure [music] it remains a powerful force for generations to come.

>> [music] [applause] >> AFC President, FIFA President, presidents of confederations, FIFA Secretary General, AFC Executive Committee members, confederation secretary generals, MA delegates, presidents and general secretaries of regional associations, esteemed guests, partners, ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning to all of you. Before we proceed with the Congress, please allow me to provide some housekeeping information for your knowledge. Kindly be informed that translation is available in English and Arabic on channels 1 and 2 respectively. Kindly ensure that all mobile phones are set to silent mode or switched off. Please ensure that your voting delegate is in possession of and wearing their voting ID card. Please also ensure that you have the e-voting device on your table. If you do not have this, please raise your hand now. The roll call and all votes during the Congress, other than secret ballots if required, will be conducted via e-voting. I will now provide instructions on the e-voting process. When a vote is called, you will see the voting question appear with four buttons. Select yes to vote in favor, select no to vote against, select abstain to abstain to vote abstain, and once you have made your selection, click the send button to submit your vote. The e-voting process will run as follows. After reviewing the question, I will inform the Congress that the window period for voting is now open. You will then be required to submit your vote within the voting period. After making your selection, the relevant button will be highlighted. After the relevant button is highlighted, click the send button at the bottom. After clicking the send, you will be required to confirm your vote. To confirm your vote, click confirm. To change your vote, click cancel, and if you decide to change your vote, you will need to repeat the same process. Kindly note that the duration of a window period for voting is 30 seconds. Please also ensure that you have your yes, abstain, and no cards on the table. Kindly note that this should only be used as a backup in case your e-voting device malfunctions. Accordingly, if your e-voting device does not work, please raise the relevant card during the voting window, and a member of the AFC legal team will approach you to conclude the voting formalities. To minimize the chances of disruptions, please refrain from turning off or attempting to change the settings of the e-voting device during the Congress. We will now practice the e-voting with two test questions. Question one. Is the 36th AFC Congress being held in Vancouver, Canada? Select yes to vote in favor, no to vote against, and select abstain to abstain, and then click the send button to submit your vote. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now.

>> [music] >> The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the AFC legal team to verify the voting results. Members present 46. Members present entitled to vote 46. Valid votes cast 45. Votes required for a simple majority 23. We have 45 yeses and one abstention. We'll now move on to the second question. Is the 36th AFC Congress being held on 28th April 2026? Again, select yes to vote in favor, no to vote against, and abstain to abstain. Click the send button to submit your vote. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the AFC legal team to verify the voting results. Members present 46. Present and entitled to vote 46. Valid votes cast 44. Votes required for a simple majority 23. We have 20 44 yeses and two abstentions. Thank you very much for your participation in the test. Can confirm that the voting device is working. We'll now move on to the agenda of the Congress. It's my pleasure to invite the AFC President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa to give his opening remarks. President. Thank you, Dato. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the beautiful city of Vancouver, Canada. A special welcome to the FIFA President, my dear friend Gianni Infantino. And of course, today we have a full house of the FIFA Vice Presidents, all of them who are here. My dear colleagues, thank you so much, and it's an honor to have you here in this AFC Congress. As we gather for this 36th AFC Congress, I want to begin by recognizing the realities beyond football that weigh heavily on many on our Asian football family. Regrettably, some of our esteemed colleagues are not able to join us today due to conflict affecting their regions. To them who are not here physically, please know know that our hearts and minds are with you and your loved ones. We pray for your safety and strength during this difficult time. So much of what we have faced, the global shifts and uncertainty, has been entirely outside of our control. But football has always been a bridge and never a barrier. It is a source of hope and a force of peace. And now more than ever, we cannot and must not let these external conditions affect our unity. In these challenging times, your commitment to keeping the beautiful game alive across our continent has been nothing short of inspiring. And it's with that spirit of unity and resilience that I extend my heartfelt thanks to our member associations and to our clubs. Over the past year, you've shown the world the true meaning of resilience. The same resilience that saw Iraq qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 40 years. And Jordan and Uzbekistan qualifying for the first time. And the same determination that enabled us to complete the AFC Champions League Elite just 3 days ago. We offer our congratulations to our new Asian club champions, Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia. And we also want to commend Japan on winning the best AFC Women's Asian Cup in history. We must thank the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Football Australia for being such an excellent host the last few days and weeks. And we applaud all our centralized hosts and deserved winners across the AFC competitions since the last Congress. Despite the challenges around us, our mission remains the same. To build a brighter, more inclusive, and successful future for Asian football. Thank you all for standing together. And that's what makes us strong and in an uncertain world. For now, I hand over to Dato Seri Windsor to conduct the roll call. Dato.

>> [applause] >> Thank you, President. Before proceeding further with the agenda, we would like to take a moment of silence to pay our respects to all our football officials, players, referees, administrators, and fans who have passed since the last AFC Congress. Please stand for a moment of silence. Thank you. Please be seated. We will now move on to agenda item number two, roll call. Kindly note that the Football Federation of Islamic Republic of Iran is unable to attend the 36th Congress 2026 due to some visa visa formalities issues. But we will now commence with the with the roll call. Please confirm your attendance by clicking the yes button on your e-voting device. The window shall commence now. The window is now closed. I kindly ask the AFC legal team to verify the attendance. Member associations present 46. Member associations with the right to vote 46. Quorum 24. Simple majority 24. 3/4 majority 35. Thank you for confirming your attendance. We'll now move on to agenda item number three, the declaration of the Congress has been convened and composed in compliance with the statutes. I invite the AFC President to make the declaration. Thank you, Dato Seri. I declare the 36th AFC Congress has been convened and composed in compliance with the statutes. Thank you. Thank you, President. We move on to agenda item number four, approval of the Congress agenda. Dear delegates, do you approve the agenda of the 36th AFC Congress 2026? Please vote. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the AFC legal team to verify the voting results. Members present 46, members present and entitled to vote 46. Valid votes 45, votes required for simple majority 23. We have one abstention by I think I can see Sri Lanka is is there. Thank you for approving the agenda of the 36th AFC Congress 2026. Agenda item number five, address by the AFC President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa. It's my pleasure now, President.

>> [music] [applause] >> Dear friends, uh the coming years will see the FIFA introduce several change change changes to the global football calendar. Of course, the global game is evolving under the visionary leadership of our brother and friend, the President, Gianni Infantino. And I want to assure him that the AFC stands united with FIFA in achieving our shared goals, Mr. President. Above all, I'm pleased to announce that the AFC is already in the driving seat to adapt to these changes. And our decision to postpone the bidding for the 2031 and 35 Asian Cup was a decisive step forward to a greater synergy and a commitment to doing things not just quickly, but efficiently. We are already coordinating closely with FIFA on those adjustments needed to the international match calendar. But this journey requires continued dialogue and patience. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we continue to provide the best platform for our teams and players to shine, as outlined in the AFC vision and mission. However, right now the world is facing so many challenges, and many of our nations and football brothers and sisters are on the front line of conflict that threatens innocent lives and of course, the organization of our game. But our mission must still remain the same. And here, we must never forget the Palestinian Football Association's fight for the right to organize and play football in their territory. A right guaranteed under the FIFA statutes, and support will always remain strong for them from all sides. Dear delegates and friends, our independence from the interference is guaranteed in our statutes, and it's also assured in the FIFA statutes as well. Our game is not a political tool for anyone's agenda or personal advancement, and never should be. This is a core to our values and to our integrity. It's also core part of what makes our sport the common denominator for the world game, and defines who we are as people, national associations and confederations. Our game is powerful because of the game itself that does not or take political sides. And of course, because of the million of people who play it. This is who we serve as administrators, and we must not allow ourselves to lose sight of this. The pureness, beauty, and the core values of respect, inclusivity, and ultimately humanity have always been at the heart of the game and has defined its global growth and development. In Asia, we're most we're most culturally diverse confederation of any of the world. We account for 60% of the world population, and we must continue to embrace this. And yes, stay stay true to our mission of advancing the game for 60% of the world we recognize as our own. This is what we do every day, and it is what makes us a collective beacon for the rest of the football world. Looking to the future, I'm also delighted to announce that the executive committee will be taking key steps to the appointment of the commercial agency for the next cycle in the coming days. This is the result of a detailed tender process that strived to build a brighter future for Asian football. This partnership will strengthen the financial foundation necessary to continue our record-breaking investment in our members and in our competitions. Our goal remains clear to enhance and maximize our commercial value so that we can reinvest back into the game in Asia. And together, we will ensure that Asian football continues to lead and inspire over the next decade and beyond. Thank you all for being here with us today. And Gianni, I hope we'll try to make this Congress as short as possible. Maybe we'll break a record and make it shorter than FIFA as well. But it's been a long day, and I know that everyone is jet-lagged. I've been up since 2:00 a.m., so I'm sure most of you are still eating late. But thank you so much, and I hope to catch you later at the conclusion. Thank you so much.

>> [applause] >> Thank you, President. If you remain at the podium there, I'd like to now invite FIFA President to come on stage for the banner exchange.

>> [music] [applause] [music] [applause] [music] >> Thank you, and uh if both presidents could make your way down the stage. We would like to take this moment to present commemorative momentos to each of our member associations that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 20 26. To start with, Football Australia, Mr. Enter Isaac, President.

>> [applause] >> Iraqi Football Association, Mr. Adnan Darjal.

>> Is that none? Japan Football Association, Mr. Suneya Sumimoto, [music] president. Jordan Football Association [music] is Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, president. Korea Football Association, Mr. Chung Mong-gyu, president. Qatar Football Association, Mr. Mansour Mohamed Al Ansari, general secretary.

>> [applause] [music] [applause] >> Saudi Arabia Football Federation, Mr. Yasser Al Misehal, president. And Uzbekistan [music] Football Association, Mr. Ravshan Irmatov, senior vice president. We have one more moment for the Iran Football Federation. [music] We'll present to them once they arrive. So, we now invite both presidents to have a group photo with the with the eight representatives those qualified for the World Cup.

>> [music] >> Thank you. It's my pleasure now to invite the FIFA president to give his address. Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh good morning uh or good evening or good afternoon depending or good night depending on who is connected in from uh where. Uh my dear president of the AFC, my dear brother, my dear Salman, dear members of uh the AFC ExCo, dear presidents, uh delegates from all over Asia. Uh the presidents all presidents of the confederations are here today, so it is a very very important signal as well. Um everyone present here uh thank you and welcome also from my side to the beautiful city of Vancouver, which actually is not just close to Asia, but it's kind of almost Asia as well, right uh Victor? Uh which makes it absolutely appropriate to organize an AFC Congress here as you definitely have or will find out as you go out uh to look for uh restaurants and places in in the city. You will feel home because everyone from Asia is present as well in Vancouver already. So, you will find anything that you are looking for. It is a great pleasure uh for me to welcome you and and I can reassure you I will be very short because you will hear from me uh in the next uh couple of days quite a lot as this is uh also uh the eve or 2 days before the FIFA Congress, an important FIFA Congress as always, but I would like to take uh on some of the words that uh your president uh Sheikh Salman mentioned at the very beginning. And uh I think this has to be our motto in particular these days. Now even more. Now even more we have to show to the world that we are here, that we are united, that we can come together from all over the world in a peaceful environment, that we can unite the world. Now even more we have to send a strong message of uh unity and uh of uh togetherness. Uh now even more the FIFA Congress, the AFC Congress takes a very very important role. The presence of all the confederation presidents here is crucially important as well to send this message. Now even more, now that the world is going through a very very delicate, difficult, dangerous time with uh many conflicts and many of you are directly affected and involved in these conflicts. Now even more we need to find ways to build these famous bridges uh or maybe to build uh football fields instead uh and uh to build competitions where people can join and come together. And with this in mind, it is even more important that uh there are nine representatives of AFC in the FIFA World Cup. Of course, huge huge record. Nine countries are participating in the FIFA World Cup. We mentioned Jordan for the first time, Uzbekistan for uh the first time. Iraq came back since uh 40 46. 1986, exactly. So, that's quite I was not born yet, uh so I don't remember. Since many years. Uh Qatar who hosted the last World Cup qualified for the first time as well on the on the field. It's a strong signal. It's a strong signal uh for all of you to be present. Uh Sheikh Salman, you mentioned it, 60% of the world population lives in Asia. Uh if we are at Vancouver, we are reach at 61 maybe. Uh but we're still working on that. Uh but uh of course, we cannot let Asia behind. On the contrary, Asia has to be part of uh all our fabric of bringing up to the highest highest level the whole football movement. And with this I want to congratulate uh AFC for all the events uh that uh you're organizing, my dear friends and uh colleagues. The the latest um women's uh Asian Cup was uh an absolute success as well. Congratulations, by the way, to the six teams that qualified for the Women's World Cup next year. And there are two who can still make it through uh the playoffs. I think Uzbekistan and and Chinese Taipei, if I'm not mistaken. Um congratulations for that. Congratulations for hosting to Saudi Arabia and to AFC for organizing it uh the Champions uh uh League uh Elite, which just finished as you said. Uh because it is important to show that football goes ahead. And to have an Iranian team participating as well is another strong message. And to have teams from the East and from the West playing is again important. And this ultimately is my message to uh all of you. It's my commitment to all of you, as well, is that FIFA and you are all FIFA. All of AFC is FIFA. The whole FIFA Congress is FIFA. All of you, all of us, we have to continue to build fields, to build competitions, to build bridges, to not let anyone behind. And when the situations are even more complicated and even more challenging, well, then we have just to work even harder to make sure that uh uh adventures as the ones football gives us, such as Korea DPR U-17 girls winning the World Cup and being world champion, that these adventures can continue to be written because we are here for everyone. We don't want to let anyone behind. And the World Cup, which will be starting in a little bit more than 40 days in United States, Canada, and Mexico, has to be this vector of unity and hopefully, as well, of peace. Uh and we should all bring this message to the entire world. Now, even more. Thank you very much for your attention. I wish you a fantastic Congress. I have, unfortunately, to leave you, Mr. President and dear colleagues. I have Otherwise, you don't believe that I'm working, so I have to pretend that I'm going to work a little bit. But, it is a great, great pleasure and gives me a lot of warmth in my heart to be with you. And I'm looking forward to spend these next couple of days with you. Thank you so much.

>> [applause] >> Shukran jazilan. See you all very soon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to the FIFA president for his address. We will now move on to agenda item six, the appointment of three scrutineers to check the voting. The following individuals are proposed as scrutineers. Mr. Keo Sareth, Football Federation of Cambodia. Miss Enkhjin Dalai Bayar, Mongolia Football Federation. Mr. Serdar Geldiyev, Football Federation of Turkmenistan. Do you approve [snorts] the appointment of the proposed scrutineers? Please vote. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the AFC legal team to verify the voting results. Thank you for approving the appointment of the scrutineers. The scrutineers are requested to take their designated seats now. We will now move on to agenda item number seven, the appointment of three members to check the official minutes. The following individuals are proposed as minutes checkers. Mr. Imran Hossain Tolsar, Bangladesh Football Federation. Mr. Louie Omesh Yusuf Louie Omesh, Jordan Football Association. Miss Yot Khway Padwadi from Lao Football Federation. Do you approve the appointment of the proposed minutes checkers? Please vote. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the voting results. Here are the results. Thank you for confirming the minutes checkers. They will be required to review the official minutes after the Congress. Moving on to agenda item eight, suspension or expulsion of a member association. This item is not applicable to this Congress. We move on to agenda item nine, dismissal of a person or body. This item is also not applicable to this Congress. Agenda item 10, approval of the minutes of the preceding Congress. The minutes of the 35th AFC Congress 2025, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 12th of April 2025, has been sent to member associations previously, and the AFC has received no comments regarding these minutes. So, do you approve the minutes of the 35th AFC Congress 2025, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 12th of April 2025? You can vote now. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the voting results. Thank you for approving the minutes of the 35th AFC Congress 2025. We will now move on to agenda item 11, approval of the independent external auditors for the term 2025 to 2028. In line with the AFC's commitment to transparency and integrity, an open tender process was concluded with several reputable external audit firms participating. The AFC Audit and Compliance Committee evaluated all submissions, taking into consideration factors such as the methodology and approach, scope of work, areas of audit, proposed fees, and credentials. Based on the AFC Audit and Compliance Committee's evaluation and recommendation, the AFC Executive Committee would like to propose to the AFC Congress the reappointment of Ernst & Young as the independent external auditors for the AFC for the financial years ending 31st December 2025 to 2028. Accordingly, do you approve the appointment of Ernst & Young for the term 25 to 28? The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now.

>> The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the voting results. Thank you for approving the appointment of Ernst & Young as an independent external auditor for the term 25 to 20 28. Moving on to agenda item 12. The AFC activity report for the period preceding the Congress. The AFC activity report was sent to all member associations prior to this Congress in accordance with the statutes. No questions have been received regarding the report. Thank you for your attention. And also moving to agenda item 13, reports on the committees and bodies. It is noted that the AFC activity report provided to you also covers the reports of the committees and bodies, and no questions were received. We thank you for taking note of this activity report. Moving on to agenda item 14, approval of the audited financial statements and auditors reports for the year ended 31st December 2025. The AFC Finance Committee Chairperson Tan Sri Dato' Hamid bin Mohamed Amin will address the Congress via video. Mr. President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the AFC Executive Committee, MA presidents, distinguished guests, dear friends and colleagues. I am pleased to report that the AFC has confirmed its commitment to competition reforms. Despite a tightening revenue environment, the AFC delivered on its promise with the 2025 financial statements, outperforming the projected budget, which was previously approved by the AFC Congress. Following the success of our revamped club competitions, the AFC direct investment in competition rose to a strict high of USD 167.6 million, a 22.3% increase from 2024. As with previous years, providing support to our member association and regional association remain a priority. Underlining this dedication, more than USD 35 million was invested to help the development of our member through the AFC enhanced program and various education initiatives. While the year concluded with a strategic deficit, the 2025 financial statement represent the investment needed to secure the Confederation's long-term growth. With USD 160 million in cash and fixed deposit, the AFC remains well placed to fund its expansion plans, enhance all its organizational responsibility. I am pleased to advise that AFC has received an unqualified report from our external auditors, Ernst & Young. The Audit and Compliance, Finance, and Executive Committee have reviewed and approved both the financial statement and the auditors report. To highlight the key areas of the Confederation's financial performance and investment in 2025, we have prepared a short video. Accordingly, I recommend the 2025 financial statement and auditors report to the AFC Congress for approval. Thank you.

>> [music] >> 2025 stands as a landmark year for the Asian Football Confederation. Guided by the most transformative reforms ever introduced to the Asian game, the AFC made a strategic decision to prioritize long-term growth over short-term gains. While the year concluded with a deficit of 22.8 million US dollars, our financial foundation remains robust. We closed the year with 83.2 million US dollars in reserves. The AFC is navigating a strategic transitional phase, confident in its foundation and ambitious in its outlook. The 2025 revenue environment tightened compared to the record-breaking 2024, [music] which featured the highly successful AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. Despite this, the AFC significantly outperformed expectations. [music] Total revenue reached 292.7 million US dollars, outstripping the budgeted projection of 256.9 million US dollars to achieve [music] a favorable variance of 35.8 million US dollars. Commercial revenues from broadcasting and sponsorship remained the engine of our growth, totaling 215.3 million US dollars. In addition, other revenue streams include 50 million US dollars in hosting ground support for the AFC Champions League Elite, 15 million US dollars in FIFA Forward funds, and 9 million US dollars generated through interest on fixed deposits and other income. Investment is the key driver of the AFC's progress. In 2025, total investment rose to 315.5 million US dollars, a 4.1% year-on-year increase. This represents the largest commitment in the history of the Asian game. This surge was driven by the launch of the new three-tier men's club structure and the historic debut of the AFC Women's Champions League. We are delivering record [music] prize monies, greater performance incentives, and unprecedented travel and hosting support for national team events. Crucially, this expansion was matched by fiscal discipline. The AFC spent 34.7 million US dollars [music] less than the approved budget of 350.2 million US dollars. We achieved this efficiency through prudent management of operational costs. At the heart of our vision and mission is a commitment to reinvest in our members. In 2025, the AFC directly invested 164.5 million US dollars toward member associations, participating clubs, and regional associations. The breakthrough AFC Enhanced Program remained our largest developmental investment at 26.3 million US dollars, benefiting [music] 34 MAs and all five regional associations. Our club competitions are undergoing a total transformation. While we maintained a consistent output of 16 competitions, our financial commitment rose by 22.3% to 167.6 million US dollars. Notable allocations for 2025 included 60.1 million US dollars for the AFC Champions League Elite, 25.2 million US dollars for the AFC Champions League 2, and 8.1 million US dollars for the groundbreaking AFC Women's Champions League. We are also preparing for the world stage. As nine Asian teams prepare for the expanded FIFA [music] World Cup 2026, we distributed 36.3 million US dollars in 2025. Overall, 72.5 million US dollars in subsidies to teams in the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26. As of December 31st, 2025, our total assets stand at 284.6 million US dollars with fixed deposits and cash balances of 160.1 [music] million US dollars. Our future stability is further bolstered by 75 million US dollars in deferred income, signaling strong growth [music] and long-term financial health. With the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and the FIFA World Cup 2026, our investments reinforce our desire to modernize, empower, and elevate Asian football on the world stage. Together, we are safeguarding stability while shaping progress, ensuring Asian football grows stronger, more competitive, and more united than ever before. Thank you. We now will have a video from the AFC Audit and Compliance Committee Chairperson addressing the Congress. Mr. President, Your Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, FIFA President Mr. Gianni Infantino, members of the AFC Executive Committee, MA Presidents, distinguished guests, dear friends and colleagues. It is my pleasure to recommend the AFC financial statements for the year ended 2025 to the AFC Congress for its approval. These statements have undergone a rigorous review process and have been endorsed by the AFC Audit and Compliance Committee, the joint meeting of the Audit and Compliance and Finance Committees, and the AFC Executive Committee. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our external auditors, Ernst & Young, for their meticulous work and for providing an unqualified report. The independent validation reaffirms the AFC's steadfast commitment to upholding the highest standards of good governance and financial transparency. On behalf of the AFC Audit and Compliance Committee, I now join the chairperson of the AFC Finance Committee in seeking the AFC Congress' approval of the 2025 financial statements. Thank you all for your continued support and consideration. Thank you to both the AFC Finance Committee chairperson and the Audit and Compliance Committee chairperson. So, dear delegates, do you approve the audited financial statements and auditors' reports for the year ended 31st December 2025? The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the voting results. Thank you for approving the audited financial statements and auditors' report for the year ended 31st December 2025. We're moving Moving on to agenda item 15, approval of the budget for the financial years 2027 and 2028. The AFC Finance Committee chairperson, Tan Sri Hamidin, will now address the Congress via video. Mr. President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the AFC Executive Committee, MA Presidents, distinguished guests, dear friends and colleagues. The 2027 and 2028 budgets represent a new era for the AFC, featuring a combined investment of USD 708.5 million. This investment reflects our commitment towards pioneering the future and strengthening the AFC world-class competitions. With a proactive high investment intent, we are putting our resources exactly where they belong. While a deficit is anticipated in 2027, this will be balanced by a projected surplus of USD 5.6 million in 2028 and a robust cash position of USD 121 million by the end of that period. These financial investments are designed to provide the stability necessary to bring Asian football to new heights of excellence. The Finance and Executive Committees have reviewed and endorsed these budgets. I formally recommend the 2027 and 2028 financial year budgets to the AFC Congress for your consideration. We have prepared a short video highlighting our primary investment areas for your kind attention. I look forward to your approval. Thank you. In the world of global football, leadership isn't just about managing the game. It's about pioneering the future. As we [music] enter the 2027-2028 cycle, the AFC is shifting gears. We are not just presenting a budget, we are launching a catalyst for long-term commercial value. By prioritizing strategic acceleration, we are deploying [music] capital into the revamped three-tier men's club competitions and the groundbreaking AFC [music] Women's Champions League. These are engineered as high-yield commercial platforms [music] designed to ensure that the future dividends of our commercial success [music] are reinvested to thrive in this new era of Asian football. Projected revenue, a significant 627 million US dollars for the biennium. Total commitment, 708.5 million US dollars in total investment [music] expenditure. The focus, 366 million US dollars, nearly 58% [music] of our revenue, is going directly into our competitions. The crown jewel, a dedicated 68.8 [music] million US dollar investment to make the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 the best in history. Strategic deficit. This strategic investment will see a deficit of 81.5 [music] million US dollars in 2027, and by 2028, the AFC projects [music] a surplus of 5.6 million US dollars. Revenue projections. The AFC projects a combined revenue of 627 [music] million US dollars, marking a 15% increase over the previous biennium. Revenue stability is further anchored by a 50 million US dollar annual hosting grant and an annual 15 million US dollar [music] FIFA Forward grant. Competition investment and prize pool [music] escalation. Competition remains our primary investment expenditure, totaling 366 million US dollars, or 58% of total revenue. A dedicated 105.5 [music] million US dollars has been allocated annually to elevate men's club competitions, focusing on prize money increases, performance bonuses, and travel subsidies. The budget also reflects [music] our commitment to the women's game with 11.2 million US dollars annually earmarked for the AFC Women's Champions League, ensuring a commercially viable professional pathway. Member associations and regional association [music] development and infrastructure. To maximize the potential of our member associations [music] and regional association, we have committed 85.5 million [music] US dollars to development funding. This investment is front-loaded with 43.7 million US dollars in 2027 to trigger early cycle growth, and 41.8 million US dollars in 2028. The AFC Enhance program provides eligible [music] MAs and RAs with up to 500,000 US dollars per annum, featuring a rollover provision for [music] unutilized funds to ensure long-term project viability. Infrastructure remains [music] a cornerstone, with 21.4 million US dollars allocated to the AFC Equal Pitch program for pitch construction and modernization. Simultaneously, we are investing 25.1 [music] million US dollars in education, headlined by the AFC Academic Center of Excellence, [music] ACE, and the world's first referee academy to build the technical and leadership capacity [music] required for a complex global landscape. Operational excellence and human capital. Administrative [music] operations are scaling in direct alignment with our expanded portfolio. A total of 104.3 million US dollars [music] is committed to the biennium, focused on four strategic areas. Governance and flagship [music] events, 11.6 million US dollars for high-level oversight. Digital engagement, 6.6 million US dollars to modernize media archives and fan-facing frameworks. Technological transformation, [music] 3.9 million US dollars for digital ecosystem security and operations. Strategic human capital, 54.9 million US dollars over 2 years [music] to to and retain world-class expertise. Future outlook. In summary, while we have [music] recorded a strategic deficit of 81.5 million US dollars for the biennium, primarily due to front-loaded 2027 investments, the AFC will return [music] to a surplus by 2028. Our disciplined financial stewardship ensures a healthy [music] projected cash balance of 121 million US dollars by the end of 2028. This budget is a blueprint [music] for a commercially self-sustaining and elite football ecosystem. We are not merely responding to growth. We are building institutional leadership, and we are engineering its future. Right. So, dear delegates, do you approve the budget for the financial years 2027 and 2028? The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the voting results. Thank you for approving the budget for the financial years 2027 and 2028. We move on to agenda item 16, vote on proposals for amendments and alterations to the AFC statutes, regulations governing the application of the AFC statutes, and standing orders of the Congress of the AFC. Article 29 of the AFC statutes, edition 2025, provides the following amendment mechanism for amendments or alterations to the AFC statutes. 29.2, proposals to amend or alter the statutes may either be submitted by one, a member association and seconded by two others to the general secretariat, or two, the executive committee. The proposals submitted shall be in writing with a brief explanation. Article 29.4, all amendments and alterations to the statutes shall only be adopted with the approval of three-quarters of the votes cast by member associations present and eligible to vote. Now, the AFC legal committee chairperson, Mr. Chris Nikou, will address the Congress. Chris.

>> [music] >> Thank you, Dato' John Windsor. Um Mr. President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, members of the AFC Executive Committee, and my presidents and general secretaries, distinguished guests, dear friends and colleagues, I wish you a warm welcome to the 36th AFC Congress. As communicated to all member associations, the AFC Executive Committee has proposed some limited amendments to the AFC statutes. Those proposals were finalized following a review by the AFC Legal Committee, of which I am the chairperson. You have been provided with a version of the relevant documents showing these proposed changes, as well as a table setting out the proposed amendments and explaining the reasons for each of the changes. Before any decision is taken on the proposed amendments, I would like by brief comment to explain the background to the key proposed amendments in order to aid your considerations. The principal amendments are proposed to, in order that the AFC has the flexibility to change its corporate identity in the future if appropriate, while continuing to comply with Malaysian law. Further, certain amendments are proposed in order to ensure the consistency of terminology regarding the AFC's annual activity report, and to reflect the practical reality that the activity report includes updates covering all topics. I thank you for your attention to these regulatory and governance matters, and look forward to your approval of these changes as proposed by the AFC Executive Committee. Thank you, Mr. Nikou. Dear delegates, do you agree to vote on the amendments to the AFC statutes as proposed by the AFC Executive Committee en bloc? The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now.

>> [music] >> The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the results. Thank you for your approval. The Congress shall now vote on the amendments to the AFC statutes as proposed by the Executive Committee en bloc. So again, dear delegates, do you approve now the amendments to the AFC statutes as proposed by the AFC Executive Committee? Please vote now. The voting window of 30 seconds shall commence now. The voting window is now closed. I kindly ask the scrutineers to verify the results. We have the results. Thank you for approving the proposed amendments to the statutes. That takes us to agenda item 17, consideration of proposals, if any, submitted by member associations or the Executive Committee in accordance with the AFC statutes. The AFC did not receive any proposals from the member associations. Finally, agenda item 18, president's closing remarks. It's my pleasure to invite the AFC president to provide his closing remarks. Yeah. Thank you, Dato'. And as we come to conclude this Congress, I would like to thank all of you, and particularly today AFC Finance and Audit and Compliance Committees on the AFC financial performance in 2025, and thank you for approving it. Uh guided by our recent competitions reforms, the AFC has entered a new era, one defined by record investment in you. Our members, of course. The coming months will build on this momentum, and we wish all our teams in the final stages of the club competition the very best of success. And Asia looks forward with a great pride as a record nine AFC teams prepare to shine at the FIFA World Cup later on in June, July. To our teams, our officials, and our friends at FIFA, including of course our different President Gianni Infantino, we wish you the greatest success in the World Cup 26, of course. Shortly after that, we will turn our attention to Asia's crown jewel, of course, the the AFC Asian Cup in '27 in Saudi Arabia. Of course, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation continues to make excellent progress, and we are confident that they will host a truly world-class edition in January '27. Finally, remember that the AFC mission is to empower you, our members. So, let me assure you that the administration stands stands ready to offer its assistance and guidance and support whenever is needed. It's thanks to you, our members, that brought us all here today. It's thanks to you that have made us progress and develop and be as stable as possible in any confederation. So, thank you so much in your trust in us and the team, and of course the investment at the end of the day is you, the member association for achieving so much success in football in this continent. I wish you all the best in Vancouver. I know that there's so many things to see. Uh we haven't got the chance yet, but I hope that uh the FIFA GS here as well as the looking, so hopefully they'll give us some time to go to go around and see this beautiful city. And uh I look forward in seeing you in the next Congress. Thank you so much again, and wish you all the best. Thank you.