32nd ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Congress
22 November 2025, Hua Hin, Thailand
Congress Proceedings and Key Decisions
The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) held its 32nd Ordinary Congress in Hua Hin, Thailand, with all 12 AFF Member Associations in attendance. Representatives from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the AFF’s commercial partner SPORTFIVE were also present.
AFF President Major General Khiev Sameth welcomed delegates to Hua Hin and expressed his appreciation to the Football Association of Thailand, led by President Nualphan Lamsam, for hosting the Congress.
Following the roll call, it was confirmed that all 12 AFF Member Associations were present and entitled to vote. Major General Sameth subsequently declared that the Congress had been convened and composed in compliance with the AFF Statutes.
Key decisions included:
The appointment of Keo Sareth (Cambodia), Tun Tun Aung (Myanmar) and Ekapol Polnavee (Thailand) as the three members responsible for checking the official minutes of the Congress.
The appointment of Nhodkeo Phawadee (Laos) and Jay Adriatico (the Philippines) as scrutineers to oversee the voting proceedings.
The unanimous approval of the agenda for the 32nd AFF Ordinary Congress 2025, the minutes of the 31st AFF Congress held on 29 November 2024 in Vientiane, Laos, and the Reports and Audited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The Congress was also informed that the General Secretary’s Report for the Year 2024 had been circulated to all Member Associations.
AFF Legal Committee Chairman Chris Nikou briefed the Congress on matters concerning the terms of the AFF Judicial Bodies and Electoral Committee. The Congress was informed that the current members of the Judicial Bodies had been elected for a four-year term from 2 July 2022 to 1 July 2026 and that the matter would need to be addressed in 2026. Further details and proposed amendments would be circulated to the Member Associations in due course.
Key Reports, Speeches and Presentations
In his address, Major General Sameth highlighted the unity of the ASEAN football family and reflected on the progress and achievements of football across the region.
Among the major regional milestones highlighted were Vietnam’s third ASEAN Championship title, Buriram United’s triumph in the inaugural ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™, and the ASEAN All-Stars’ victory over Manchester United in the Maybank Challenge Cup, which raised MYR 1 million for the Al Sultan Abdullah Foundation.
The speech highlighted several international accomplishments from the region:
- Australia qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, continuing its strong presence on the global stage.
- Indonesia reached the fourth round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers, marking an important achievement in its qualification campaign.
- Singapore qualified for the AFC Asian Cup on merit for the first time.
The President also recognised the region’s success at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025, where the AFF was named AFC Regional Association of the Year, alongside honours received by the Football Association of Thailand, Lao Football Federation and Football Association of Malaysia.
The continued progress of women’s football, youth football and futsal across ASEAN was also highlighted, together with the AFF’s continued implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology across its competitions.
Regional and International Collaboration
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the Congress through a video message, reaffirming FIFA’s support for the continued development of football across Southeast Asia.
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, delivering a message on behalf of AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, congratulated the AFF on being named AFC Regional Association of the Year and recognised the continued progress of football across the ASEAN region. He also highlighted the development of AFF competitions, including the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™, as well as the new title partnership with Hyundai for the ASEAN Championship.
Closing Remarks
In his closing remarks, Major General Sameth thanked the Member Associations for their continued commitment to ASEAN football and expressed his appreciation to FIFA, the AFC, SPORTFIVE, the AFF Council and Secretariat for their continued support.
He also thanked the Football Association of Thailand, led by President Nualphan Lamsam, for its warm hospitality and successful organisation of the Congress in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The AFF President concluded with the AFF reaffirming its commitment to strengthening cooperation among its 12 Member Associations and advancing the continued growth and development of football throughout Southeast Asia.