Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sao Paulo: AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa presented pennants to senior officials of Asia's four FIFA World Cup participants following Monday's AFC Extraordinary Congress as a symbolic gesture of support from the Asian football family ahead of their Brazil 2014 campaigns.
Shaikh Salman handed over the commemorative pennants to Ali Kafashian, Kuniya Daini and Chung Moon-gyu, who are the Presidents of the Iran Football Federation, the Japan Football Association and the Korea Football Associations respectively and to Brian Schwartz, the Vice President of the Football Federation of Australia.
The AFC President has been regularly voicing his message of support for the national teams of Australia, Iran, Korea Republic and Japan, who he is confident will represent the continent with pride, passion and in the spirit of fair play whatever the results.
Australia are the first Asian side to feature at Brazil 2014 with the Socceroos, who are taking part in their second World Cup finals as a member of the AFC, taking on Chile in their Group B opener in Cuiaba on June 13 before reigning Asian champions Japan take on Cote d'Ivoire in their Group B curtain raiser the following day in Recife.
Iran's fifth World Cup campaign begins on June 16 when Team Melli faces Nigeria in Curitiba before 2002 semi-finalists Korea Republic are the last of Asia's representatives to take the global stage with the Taegeuk Warriors taking on Russia in Cuiaba a day later.