AFC Social Responsibility Toolkit 2026 reiterates commitment to positive change
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—- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Social Responsibility Toolkit 2026 is now available on the-AFC.com, once again reinforcing the Confederation’s commitment to harnessing the power of football to deliver meaningful and lasting social impact across Asia.
Developed on the foundation of the AFC Social Responsibility Strategy 2023-27, the Toolkit serves as a guide for the AFC’s Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) to strengthen their capacity to deliver impactful programmes, regardless of their size or stature.The 2026 edition introduces several key enhancements, ranging from the expansion of its core Social Responsibility pillars to broader alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Reflecting the AFC’s determination to provide tailored guidance to its MAs and RAs, the updated Toolkit now incorporates the pillars of Sustainability and Health & Wellbeing, alongside the existing trio of Child Safeguarding, Education and Inclusion.
With the introduction of the Sustainability pillar, the Toolkit encourages MAs and RAs to embed environmental responsibility into their initiatives by promoting energy efficiency, responsible resource management, sustainable infrastructure and community engagement, ensuring football contributes positively to both people and the planet.Complementing this is the Health & Wellbeing pillar, which recognises football as a platform to foster healthier communities by promoting physical activity, mental health awareness, nutrition, safe environments and emotional resilience, further reinforcing the Confederation’s belief in football as a powerful vehicle to improve wellbeing on and off the pitch.Meanwhile, the UN SDGs continue to underpin the AFC’s efforts to contribute to the global sustainable development agenda, with the Confederation now aligned with 12 SDGs, marking a sharp increase from its previous count of five.
Another key addition is the introduction of an audit framework for AFC-supported Social Responsibility programmes. Designed to further strengthen governance, accountability and transparency, the framework introduces an independent external audit process to assess utilisation of funds provided through the AFC Dream Asia Foundation (ADAF).Guided by the ADAF’s motto of “Football Cares”, the AFC Social Responsibility Toolkit 2026 is yet another significant step in the Confederation’s efforts to maximise the social impact of football across Asia.