Saudi Arabia confirms hosting of Asian Cup, Salman continues as AFC president

2023-02-02 13:55

Saudi Arabia confirms hosting of Asian Cup, Salman continues as AFC president


With Saudi Arabia confirmed as host of the 2027 Asian Cup, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa on Wednesday formally retained his final four-year term as president of the Asian Football Confederation.


The Bahraini was elected head of the Asian Federation in 2013 , with two years remaining in the term of ousted former president Mohammad bin Haman, who was elected without a rival.

His new four-year term will be his last due to restrictions imposed by the governing body's charter, and the 57 -year-old will be in charge of Asian football for 14 years by the end of his tenure in 2027 .

" I would like to thank everyone for continuing their confidence in me for another four years," Sheikh Salman told delegates. " It really humbles me and makes me very honored to have the confidence of the AFC.

" It puts a lot of responsibility on me, but thank you for making it happen. I hope that in the next four years, I will also live up to your expectations. "

Sheikh Salman took over from bin Hamam for the final two years of his tenure as AFC president after the Qatari was banned for life by governing body FIFA from all football for his involvement in a corruption scandal.


Saudi Arabia confirms hosting of Asian Cup, Salman continues as AFC president

Member of the FIFA Council

A member of the Bahraini royal family, Sheikh Salman first came to prominence in football in 2009 when he lost out against bin Haman for a seat in FIFA's decision-making body in 2009.

However, he won the presidential election in 2013 and ran without opposition in 2015 , then ran unsuccessfully against Gianni Ititino for the FIFA presidency the following year.

He was returned again in 2019 after the election's top two candidates withdrew.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as host for the 2027 Asian Cup as the assembly approves their choices after India, Iran, Qatar and Uzbekistan pulled out of the bidding process earlier.

Saudi Arabia's Yasser Al Misehal was elected to the FIFA Council along with Japan's Kohzo Tashima, Qatar's Sheikh Hamad Khalifa Al Thani, the Philippines' Mariano Araneta and Malaysia's Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin.

 

Laos' Kanya Keomany was elected to the seat reserved for women's representation on the FIFA Council.