Prince Ali to open Soccerex 2015 Asian Forum

AMMAN — HRH Prince Ali, FIFA vice president representing Asia, AFC executive committee member and president of both the Jordan Football Association and the West Asian Football Federation, is set to open the Soccerex 2015 Asian Forum, according to a statement from the Asian Football Development Project (AFDP).

The event is held in partnership with the AFDP and returns to the beautiful shores of the Dead Sea on April 14-15.

At the forum, Prince Ali will be looking back on his career in football to date, the future he sees for the game in Asia and the challenges he feels that need to be overcome for his dream of the future to be realised. 

The session will also look at social development through football, something Prince Ali is very passionate about. He will be talking about the work of the AFDP, a non-profit youth commission he founded to provide effective, needs based assistance to football organisations, and development through football organisations, working in Asia, in a fair and transparent manner.

In his many roles within football, Prince Ali has been highly influential in improving the development of the game across the continent, in particular championing youth development and women’s football. 

The 28 football academies he has created in Jordan and his role in ensuring FIFA lifted the ban on the headscarf in women’s football are both testament to his commitment and he will proudly see both passions united when Jordan hosts the 2016 Women’s U-17 FIFA World Cup.

 “The Asian Forum will provide the perfect platform for all stakeholders and football leaders to come together and share their diverse experiences. We look forward to hosting our guests from Asia and across the globe to discuss the way forward to realise our full potential in Asia,” Prince Ali was quoted as saying in the statement.

“We are hugely honoured and privileged to be working again with His Royal Highness Prince Ali at our 2015 Asian Forum. He is so passionate about the game and his visionary work with the Asian Football Development Project has had significant impact on football and the opportunities it provides throughout Asia,” Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie was quoted as saying in the statement.

“We are proud to be working alongside him, the AFDP and the Jordan Football Association and hope that in some small way the Asian Forum will help contribute towards his efforts to develop football across the continent,” he added.