MANAMA: The 33rd Asian Football Confederation Congress held in Manama, Bahrain, on Wednesday, has re-elected Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who was the sole candidate, as the AFC’s president by acclamation for a third four-year term that runs until 2027.
Pertinently, there are no Indians on the new AFC “leader board”, which has been the case since the Supreme Court-ordered exit of Praful Patel as All India Football Federation president last May.
Sheikh Salman, who took over as the 10th AFC President in 2013, was re-elected unopposed as 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.
Sheikh Salman 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.”
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.
AFC leadership
President and (ex officio) FIFA Vice President – Sheikh Salman
AFC Vice Presidents
West Zone
Hachem Haidar (Lebanon)
Central Zone
Mehdi Taj (Islamic Republic of Iran)
South Zone
Ugen Tsechup (Bhutan)
ASEAN Zone
Zaw Zaw (Myanmar)
East Zone
Ganbaatar Amgalanbaatar (Mongolia)
AFC Female Executive Committee Members
West Zone
Susan Riyad Abdelrahim Alshalabi (Palestine)
Central Zone
None
South Zone
Mahfuza Akhter (Bangladesh)
ASEAN Zone
Kanya Keomany (Laos)
*also a FIFA Council Member
East Zone
Han Un Gyong (DPR Korea)
FIFA Council Members
Kohzo Tashima (Japan)
Ms. Kanya Keomany (Laos)
Haji Hamidin Bin Haji Mohd Amin (Malaysia)
Mariano Araneta, Jr. (Philippines)
Sheikh Hamad Khalifa A.A. Al Thani (Qatar)
Yasser H. Almisehal (Saudi Arabia)
AFC Executive Committee Members
West Zone
Abdullah Ahmed Alshaheen Alrabeea (Kuwait)
Abdullah Nasser Aljneibi (United Arab Emirates)
Central Zone
Irmatov Ravshan (Uzbekistan)
South Zone
Bassam Adeel Jaleel (Maldives)
Pankaj Bikram Nembang (Nepal)
ASEAN Zone
Chris Nikou (Australia)
Pol. Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung (Thailand)
East Zone
Fok, Kai Shan Eric (Hong Kong)
