AFC, United Nations partner to advance sustainable development through football

KUALA LUMPUR, JUL 8 (WAM/APP/DNA):The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the United Nations’ Football for the Goals (FFTG) initiative reaffirmed their shared commitment to leveraging on the power of football to drive social development across Asia with an increasing number of football stakeholders who are formally aligned with the FFTG’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) platform.

The Football Association of Indonesia, the Chinese Football Association and the Philippine Football Federation have become the latest applicants, bringing the total number of AFC Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) currently under review to 20.

Meanwhile, the Football Association of Thailand, Football Association of Brunei Darussalam, Tajikistan Football Federation and Football Association of the Maldives have joined the eight existing members.

Through FFTG, football organisations commit to promoting the SDGs by adopting responsible business practices, championing social inclusion, and aligning communications with sustainable development messaging. Membership is voluntary, non-binding, and without financial obligation, making it an accessible and strategic platform for the AFC’s 47 MAs and five RAs.

“We are encouraged by the growing engagement of both our MAs and RAs with the FFTG initiative. This movement signals the significant rise in awareness of football’s unique role in creating inclusive, equitable, and resilient communities across Asia,” said Vahid Kardany, Secretary to the AFC Dream Asia Foundation and the AFC Deputy General Secretary – Member Associations.

The AFC Dream Asia Foundation Conference 2025 will be held on 15th October 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the UN FFTG Secretariat. The event will convene football stakeholders, UN agencies, NGOs, and civil society to exchange knowledge and strengthen collaboration in leveraging football for sustainable development.

Kardany added that the AFC Dream Asia Foundation, in collaboration with FFTG, is playing a key enabling role in helping football governing bodies across Asia participate in this movement.

Rather than joining as a member, the foundation acts as a continental facilitator, guiding and supporting MAs and RAs to apply and align with FFTG’s core principles. This coordinated engagement signals the foundation’s commitment to global-local alignment in advancing the SDGs through football.

Robert Skinner, Chief of Partnerships and Global Engagement in the UN’s Department of Global Communications, said, “When football and the United Nations stand together, we send a powerful message: the SDGs are everyone’s game, and every goal counts. Football for the Goals is proud of our collaboration with the AFC for the upcoming AFC Dream Asia Foundation Conference, a significant opportunity to advance football’s role for sustainable development in the region.”

Football for the Goals is a United Nations platform launched to harness the power of football in advancing the SDGs. It engages clubs, leagues, federations, and players to raise awareness, foster partnerships, and take measurable action for people and the planet.