AFC Concludes ‘Match Commissioners Seminar 2024’

he Asian Football Confederation (AFC) further underlined its commitment to maximising the potential of its Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) when it conducted the AFC Match Commissioners (MC) Seminar 2024 in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur from August 26 to 29, 2024. With the new era of AFC club competitions set to kick off in a month's time, the seminar, attended by almost 100 participants, served as an excellent opportunity for existing as well as new MCs to gain an enhanced understanding of their roles and responsibilities, said the confederation in a statement today. On the inaugural day, the focus was exclusively on the new candidates who were introduced to the core objectives of the event, followed by other key topics including matchday activities and competition operations from experts from the AFC's Competitions and Football Events Division. The first day concluded with a practical session at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, where participants were familiarised w ith the complexities of matchday operations. On subsequent days, returning Match Commissioners joined the seminar. With the revamped three-tier club competition structure, along with the landmark AFC Women's Champions League set to increase the number of matches being played significantly, the participants received a timely overview of the latest AFC Club Competitions Regulations. Additionally, the seminar underscored the AFC's commitment to increasing women's participation in football by announcing its initiative of encouraging all MAs to nominate additional female candidates for the role of Match Commissioner. Other highlights from the event included interactive sessions and evaluation of case studies that shed light on the broader aspects of match operations including disciplinary matters, safety and security, sports medicine and anti-doping, and commercial operations. In his welcome address, AFC Deputy General Secretary Shin Man Gil said: "The 2024/25 season promises to be a landmark in the Confederat ion's history with our revamped club competitions and the inaugural AFC Women's Champions League. To that end, the role of Match Commissioners in ensuring the successful delivery of our competitions cannot be overstated. "Our competitions have seen tremendous growth over the last few years and we must remember that it is our tournaments that act as the driving force behind the development of the beautiful game. "The AFC's success is deeply rooted in the capabilities of its MAs and RAs. Together, we can continue to uphold our Vision and Mission to be a leading Confederation and raise the standards of our competitions." Source: Qatar News Agency