Manama, Bahrain | His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of Qatar Football Association (QFA), was elected as a member of the FIFA Council, the main decision-making authority of world football's governing body, at the 33rd Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Manama, Bahrain. The victory of H.E. the QFA President was confirmed after he received the most votes in the election - 40 - from among the seven candidates for the five positions. In addition to Asian representatives for the FIFA Council, AFC Executive Committee members for the term 2023-2027 were also elected by delegates from the continent's member associations. The 33rd AFC Congress also witnessed the re-election of His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa for the position of President of the AFC, having stood unopposed. Contesting alongside H.E. the QFA President for membership of the FIFA Council were many top leaders of Asian football, such as Do Zhaocai (China) - 18 votes; Kozo Tashima (Japan) - 39 votes; Mong Gyu-chung (South Korea) - 19 Votes; Datuk Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin (Malaysia) - 30 votes; Mariano Araneta Jr. (Philippines) - 34 votes, and Yasser Hassan Al-Misehal (Saudi Arabia) - 35 votes.

When it comes to football in Asia, the governing body is the AFC Congress. For the first time since the extraordinary meeting of the Congress in Paris in June 2019, AFC representatives from different regions and countries got together in person. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, was also present at the meeting.