The signing ceremony took place at the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah Hotel between the AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, and SAFF General Secretary Ibrahim Alkassim, on the sidelines of the AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals Jeddah 2025.

The programmes are set to benefit SAFF staff and other stakeholders, including employees of the Saudi Arabian men’s and women’s football leagues, Saudi Arabian clubs, Saudi Arabian Regional Training Centres, the Saudi Football Players Association, as well as members of the Local Organising Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™, as Saudi Arabia gears up to host the Continental showpiece.

To run for four years, the MoU will establish a framework for cooperation that focuses on delivering education and research programmes through the pioneering AFC Academic Centre of Excellence (ACE) in order to elevate the administrative, managerial, and operational expertise of participants.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC is committed to uplifting its Member Associations and collaborations like this Memorandum of Understanding  are one of the various ways that we can foster development of the game.

“We look forward to working closely with our friends at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to raise the levels of football excellence even higher, through our highly acclaimed ACE programmes that have already benefitted hundreds of graduates.”

SAFF General Secretary Ibrahim Alkassim said: “The Saudi Arabian Football Federation is proud to partner with the AFC in this important initiative to further enhance the capabilities of our football community.

“Through the ACE programmes and the spirit of collaboration enshrined in this Memorandum of Understanding, we are confident that our staff, stakeholders, and partners will gain valuable knowledge and expertise to drive Saudi football to even greater heights. We look forward to a successful journey together as we prepare to host the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ and beyond."

Existing ACE initiatives will be adapted to ensure that a comprehensive syllabus of football administration, strategic planning, event management, marketing, legal, finance, management and governance aspects is delivered to participants.

Specifically, five programmes have been selected for 2025 and 2026: the AFC Certificate in Strategy and Planning, AFC Certificate in Football Leadership, AFC Certificate in Football Administration and Management, AFC Certificate in Child Safeguarding and the AFC Empowering Women in Football Programme.

Additionally, the AFC will work closely with the SAFF Institute of Research (SAFFIR) to promote football research in Asia, which includes the development of a joint project to collect and digitise relevant materials regarding Asian national team and club competitions. This is in line with both the AFC and SAFF’s efforts to preserve and safeguard documentation and archives, and to provide valuable insights that further enhance the game’s development.