AFC President hails UFA’s commitment and progress

Shaikh Salman was briefed on the reforms and changes that have taken place in Uzbekistan football under the leadership of UFA President Abdusalom Azizov, as well as the notable progress driven by the recently appointed management team at the UFA, which has underlined governance as one of its core pillars.

Additionally, the AFC President was updated on UFA’s Statutes revision process and its adoption of a new Electoral Code, which will be implemented at the upcoming elections for the first time in their history, bringing the Member Association (MA) closer aligned with the Statutory requirements endorsed by the AFC and FIFA.

Irmatov reiterated the UFA’s core principles of good governance within the administration, with an emphasis on upholding the highest standards of transparency, a commitment towards ensuring a consultative approach in decision making as well as building trust and respect amongst elected members.

He also stressed the UFA’s strong desire to work closely with the AFC on matters both on and off the pitch and conveyed the gratitude of the Uzbek football family for being awarded the hosting rights for the AFC U23 Asian Cup as well as the AFC U19 Asian Cup, adding that the UFA was committed towards staging world-class competitions as outlined in the AFC’s Vision and Mission.

As one of Asia’s finest-ever match officials, Irmatov, who still holds the record for officiating more matches at the FIFA World Cup than any other referee in the tournament’s history, was particularly proud to share the UFA’s recent Video Assistant Referee introduction in their domestic league, becoming the first country in the Central Asian region to embrace and implement the system.

The UFA Senior Vice President also added the pivotal role of the 14 provincial associations that exists within the Uzbekistan football ecosystem and the efforts by the UFA to forge stronger relations with all stakeholders as part of its ambitions to enhance the technical development of the game in the country.

In closing, the AFC President praised the UFA’s leadership for their progress and reiterated his commitment towards strengthening the spirit of partnership between the AFC and its MAs.

Shaikh Salman also thanked Senior Vice President Irmatov for the reforms undertaken in Uzbek football and applauded the UFA’s determination to further enhance the development of the beautiful game in the country.