UAE Football Association wins AFC Golden Award for grassroots football development

WAM
17 Oct 2025, 01:23 GMT+10

RIYADH, 16th October, 2025 (WAM) -- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) honoured the leading national associations in grassroots football development during the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025 ceremony held at the King Fahd Cultural Centre in Riyadh, sponsored by NEOM, in recognition of their efforts to promote football as the continent's most popular sport.

The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) received the AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football - Gold Category, while the Football Association of Malaysia won the Silver Category and the Bangladesh Football Federation received the Bronze Category.

According to the AFC statement issued this evening, the UAEFA made remarkable progress in expanding the game's grassroots base through community tournaments and initiatives, including the open leagues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and age-group festivals for players under 7, 8 and 9 years old across various emirates.

These activities benefited around 28,595 players from 83 nationalities across 65 locations, supported by local partners such as the UAE Pro League, Dubai Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

The association also implemented social responsibility initiatives to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for young players, alongside increased investment in grassroots football infrastructure development.

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