The AFC’s Member Association (MA) Division’s mission is to engage, protect and assist all the AFC’s MAs as well as the five Regional Associations (RAs) and to cooperate with FIFA, its sister Confederations, and other stakeholders of the sport to improve the governance of football across the Continent.

The Division focuses on strengthening the AFC’s MAs and RAs administrations by providing the necessary tools required to grow the game at the national and regional levels.

In addition, the Division looks after the AFC’s Social Responsibility initiatives and works closely with our MAs and RAs as well as other stakeholders to use football for social development.

 

 

 

 

The objectives, roles and responsibilities based on the key areas of the MA Division can be described as follows:

 

· Strengthening MAs and RAs administrations by providing the necessary tools needed to grow the game at the national and regional levels.

· Providing MAs and RAs with practical tools, services and other support that enable them to run the most modern sport’s governing body possible and to develop football as the number one sport in their territories.

· To ensure that all regulations managed by the Division are correctly implemented with the relevant support of internal and external bodies to guarantee transparency and consistency, while always seeking to improve these regulations as required for the overall development of the AFC’s MAs and RAs.

· Continuously seek more efficient internal practices to enable better implementation of programmes and to set the highest governance standards expected of football bodies in Asia.

· Delivery of the Division’s mission to identify focused and dedicated services to maximise the potential of the AFC’s MAs and RAs.

 

· To serve and strengthen our MAs.

· Raise the standard of football in all MAs irrespective of their strength, on and off the field.

· Help the AFC MAs comply with their obligations as part of the international regulatory framework, particularly in the areas of Statutes and governance.

· Protect the interests of AFC MAs and assist in the process of dispute resolutions.

· Help our MAs in their Statutes revision process and Congresses.

· Help our MAs in drafting their Regulations and Codes.

· Improve internal and external relations.

· Assist good governance initiatives of the MAs.

 

· Member Associations that belong to the same geographic zone have formed RAs and are recognised by the AFC in accordance with the AFC Statutes.

· As part of the obligations of the RAs, they must adopt the Statutes which comply with the principles of good governance and the RA Governance Department ensures that these are followed by the RA.

· The department’s objective is to serve and strengthen our RAs and raise the standards of football in the respective zones.

· To narrow the gap among the members of the RAs and to make football more competitive at the Regional and Continental level.

· Conduct official communications and organise educational courses in the Region.

· The AFC has provided a grant of USD 1 million per cycle for each RA through a capacity-building programme - AFC Enhance Programme - and the department will monitor the use of these funds by the RAs.

· Likewise, the department also monitors the use of the FIFA Forward Fund given to the RAs by FIFA through the AFC.

 

 

For details on the AFC Dream Asia Foundation, please click here

 

 

The non-technical Education activities of the AFC are carried out by the AFC Academic Centre of Excellence Unit. The Unit, under the umbrella of MA Division, is responsible in enhancing the AFC’s stakeholders capacity building, while assisting them on having up-to-date management techniques and best operation practices. This is achievable through various development education programmes for stakeholders across all levels.

The goal is to build a pool of better and brighter, as well as result-oriented future leaders in the football community.

Among the education programmes which were previously delivered are the AFC Football Administration Certificate (FAC) which had over 150 graduates, and the pilot programme on Fundamentals of Football Administration (FFA). In 2021, the AFC  introduced two tailor-made programmes – the AFC Football Management Certificate (FMC) and the AFC Football Management Diploma (FMD) with a total of 338 participants from across the world taking part so far. FMC and FMD comprise several education portfolios targeting beginners (newcomers) to the world of football, middle level management, top level management and specialists in a particular field.

 

 

Besides the above-mentioned tasks and responsibilities, the Division focuses on overall relations with the Stakeholders of the game through the Stakeholder Relations and Special Projects Units.

The Deputy General Secretary’s Office ensures smooth day-to-day administrative operations as well as focuses on strategy for the Division by coordinating with other relevant AFC departments and units.

The MA Division helps prepare and conduct the AFC Congress and Confederation Meetings as well as carry out official communications with MAs and RAs. The Division will also coordinate the AFC’s Officials’ visits to MAs and RAs while MAs visits to the AFC House is organised by the Deputy General Secretary’s Office.