FIFA President Gianni Infantino has told the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress the broad cross-section of countries represented by the confederation’s players at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is “further proof” of FIFA’s “desire to make football truly global”. Thirty-two clubs representing all six confederations, including four from the AFC, will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, competing to be crowned the first true global club champions in the United States in June and July this year. Within the cosmopolitan squads, the clubs’ players hail from an even greater number of countries, giving billions of football fans a personal stake in the tournament as they see their compatriots – some of them for the first time – competing on the global stage.

“Al Ain FC, Al Hilal SFC, Ulsan HD FC and Urawa Red Diamonds FC will not only represent Asia with pride, but, in total, players from more nations will represent their respective countries at this tournament than at all of the FIFA World Cups combined since 1930. That is further proof of our desire to make football truly global,” said Mr Infantino in a video message played to AFC Congress delegates in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. “On the club squad lists of the competing teams as they stand today, 101 players from nine countries will represent Asian football on the global stage. Palestine and Uzbekistan have yet to play at the greatest stage of all with their respective national teams, but players from both countries could represent their clubs in June and July along with stars from Australia, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.” The FIFA President also congratulated Japan and the Islamic Republic of Iran for sealing their places as two of a potential nine AFC representatives at the FIFA World Cup 26™, which – with a total of 48 competing teams – will be the most inclusive FIFA World Cup™ yet.

“I would like to wish all of the teams the very best for the exciting remaining matches of the qualification campaign in the months ahead,” he added. “Some teams will certainly break new ground in reaching that competition as a result not only of the move to 48 teams, with eight or even nine Asian teams now being able to qualify, but also a product of the tireless work being done by you all when it comes to football development, and to the organisation of tournaments, for example, when last year Uzbekistan became the first country from Central Asia to host a global event in the FIFA Futsal World Cup.” Mr Infantino highlighted AFC member association success in global tournaments, notably the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ victories of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He also looked ahead to a busy remainder of 2025 with the first 48-team FIFA U-17 World Cup™ and the FIFA Arab Cup™ being held in Qatar as well as the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ staged in the Philippines.

“The focus on sustainable development of football will always be our task and a responsibility that energises every single one of us,” said the FIFA President as he turned to efforts made within the AFC to ensure a bountiful future for the game in the region. “I was delighted to see the opening of the FIFA Talent Academy in Bahrain earlier this year and there are so many talent pathways that are being strengthened to the specific needs of your associations thanks to the collaborative work with FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger and his team. “At the same time, we are proud that you have supported the FIFA Football for Schools programme, with the majority of you already participating in the project which enshrines our game at the heart of the education process for children.”