TOKYO, twenty first October, 2026 (WAM) — The Continent’s soccer leaders got here collectively in Tokyo in the present day for the fourth version of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) Presidents’ and General Secretaries’ Conference 2026.
Staged in Japan for the primary time, the flagship occasion serves as a key platform for the AFC’s members to reinforce management capabilities, strengthen governance requirements and share greatest practices for the continued development of Asian soccer.
One hundred and twenty of Asia’s foremost soccer decision-makers have been in attendance on the opening day of the 2026 version, the place they have been capable of digest insights delivered by three professional audio system earlier than partaking in a sturdy panel dialogue.
At the beginning, the delegates have been welcomed by Japan Football Association (JFA) President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, who stated: “Seeing football from different roles and different positions has told me that progress comes not only from our own efforts, but also from the people we meet, the experiences we share and the lessons we learn along the way from each other.
“I actually hope that this Conference will mark one other vital milestone in our shared journey to carry soccer in nature to new heights. With all of us working collectively, I’m very assured that a good brighter future lies forward for Asian soccer.”
That was followed by an address from the AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor John, who underlined the vital role played by the Confederation’s MAs and RAs in driving the progress of Asian football.
“Since the primary version of this Conference in 2023, it has turn into a gathering that has gone from power to power,” he said. “And over the previous yr, AFC has continued to achieve new ranges. We witnessed a report 9 AFC representatives on the FIFA World Cup 2026 and a historic AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026. At membership stage, each our males’s and ladies’s competitions are setting new benchmarks of excellence.
“You are at the heart of everything that we do at the AFC, and rest assured that our Mission has always been clear: to support our members and uplift our standards.
“As leaders and key determination makers, you might have the abilities and expertise to carry the Asian recreation to even higher heights – each on and off the pitch. Over these two days, I additionally hope you’ll take the time to strengthen friendships as a result of our Asian unity is essential to shared success sooner or later.”
JFA President Miyamoto then returned to the stage to kickstart the day with a special presentation that delved into Japan’s football journey and the factors underpinning their sustained success at all levels of the game.
Innovation within the football ecosystem was examined by Jennifer Mellors, Client Partner and Integrity Solutions Manager at Sportradar, whose presentation explored how match-fixing is becoming more adaptive, fragmented and difficult to attribute, while highlighting how advances in technology are strengthening the ability to detect suspicious activity at scale.
That was followed with an intriguing panel discussion on football leadership, which was moderated by AFC Deputy General Secretary – Member Associations, Vahid Kardany. Titled “Beyond the Badge: What It Takes to Lead in Asian Football Today”, it featured 5 outstanding figures from throughout the AFC’s 5 areas: Football Australia President Anter Isaac, JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Uzbekistan Football Association Senior Vice President Ravshan Irmatov, Football Sri Lanka President U.L. Jaswar and FIFA Council Member Yasser Hassan M Almisehal, who shared enlightening views on management, governance, and the alternatives and challenges in in the present day’s rapidly-evolving surroundings.
With synthetic intelligence (AI) quickly gaining prominence inside the international sports activities trade, attendees then benefited from the ultimate session of the day by Craig Hepburn, Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of 1706 Studio, that explored how AI will be leveraged to reinforce strategic planning and operational excellence inside soccer organisations.
The Conference will resume on Thursday with additional classes specializing in girls’s soccer, referee improvement, sensible purposes of AI, soccer’s contribution to broader societal targets, competitors technique and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, earlier than coming to a conclusion.