Asian partnership with the European Union

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) concluded a strategic meeting with UEFA Referees in Limassol, Cyprus, where both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing global refereeing standards through structured cooperation, technical exchanges, and long-term development initiatives. The meeting established a framework for strengthening technical collaboration, aimed at further developing refereeing structures, governance models, and performance standards across all competitions and at all levels. This partnership builds on the recent strong performances of AFC referees in FIFA tournaments and reinforces the shared vision of preparing match officials for major international events. This step marks a significant milestone in the cooperation between the AFC and UEFA, potentially paving the way for referees to officiate matches in both confederations' competitions for the first time. Recognizing the importance of innovation, education programs, and operational excellence in modern refereeing, experts engaged in in-depth discussions on referee competition management, development pathways, talent identification frameworks, and improving administrative processes, laying the foundation for sustainable cooperation based on transparency, accountability, and mutual learning.