KUALA LUMPUR: FIFA president Gianni Infantino today announced the creation of a new regional football tournament called the FIFA ASEAN Cup.
The tournament will involve all 11 Southeast Asian nations and be held during the FIFA International Match Calendar.
Infantino stated this would create greater impact in the region which has a population of about 700 million people.
He emphasised the competition aims to give a real boost to football by featuring the best players within FIFA’s international match calendar.
“Football unites the world and together with all 11 ASEAN countries, we are creating the FIFA ASEAN Cup,” he said.
Infantino added that the tournament will bring the region together and become a huge success.
He made these remarks after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on regional football development at the 47th ASEAN Summit.
The MoU was signed by Infantino and ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing in his capacity as the ASEAN 2025 Chair.
Infantino outlined three key pillars for development under the new agreement.
The first pillar focuses on integrity in the game while the second ensures a safe and secure environment for matches.
The third pillar covers education through football and development for girls, boys, women and men across the region.
He noted that ASEAN now has 11 countries which he described as a magic number in sport.
“A football team is composed of 11 players, so now the team is there ready to win matches,” he said.
Infantino expressed FIFA’s commitment to continuing collaboration with ASEAN based on these principles.
When questioned about alleged double standards in handling Israel and Russia situations, he expressed optimism about recent peace initiatives.
He referenced the Sharm el-Sheikh summit as a significant step towards global reconciliation and cooperation.
Infantino also highlighted the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during the summit.
He reiterated FIFA’s mission to unite everyone and build bridges among people and nations.
“Football and sport must strive to unite and bring people together,” he concluded. – Bernama
