The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) hosted the prestigious AFC Annual Awards 2023 in Seoul, recognizing outstanding achievements and contributions in Asian football. The awards honored players, coaches, and associations for their commitment to advancing football across the continent and promoting excellence both on and off the field.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA received the esteemed AFC Diamond of Asia award in acknowledgment of his impactful contributions to global football. The Qatar Football Association was presented with the AFC Asian Cup Host Appreciation Award, while the Saudi Arabian Football Federation earned the AFC President’s Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution, reflecting its growing influence in Asian football.
The AFC Member Association of the Year Award recognized organizations across four categories: Japan Football Association (Platinum), The Football Association of Thailand (Diamond), All Nepal Football Association (Gold), and Lao Football Federation (Ruby). The Central Asian Football Association was named AFC Regional Association of the Year for its initiatives to strengthen regional football.
The AFC President’s Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football celebrated Football Australia (Gold), All India Football Federation (Silver), and Vietnam Football Federation (Bronze) for their efforts in fostering grassroots talent and expanding football's reach.
In the coaching category, Park Youn-jeong, the head coach of the Korea Republic Women’s U20 team, was honored as AFC Coach of the Year (Women), while Go Oiwa, the Japan U23 men’s coach, received the AFC Coach of the Year (Men) award. In individual player awards, Saeid Ahmad Abbasi of Iran was named AFC Futsal Player of the Year, Kiko Seike of Japan received AFC Women’s Player of the Year, and Qatar’s Akram Afif was awarded AFC Player of the Year.
Additionally, a special set of awards was announced, with presentations to follow at a suitable occasion. Ellie Carpenter of Australia was named AFC Asian International Player of the Year (Women), while Son Heung-min of Korea took the same honor in the men’s category. Youth talents Chae Un Yong from DPR Korea and Abbosbek Fayzullaev from Uzbekistan were recognized as AFC Youth Players of the Year for women and men, respectively.
The AFC Referees Special Award celebrated the accomplishments of referees Yuichi Hatano (Japan), Turki Abdullah Al Salehi (Oman), and Ibrahim Yousif Al Raeesi (UAE), commending their exceptional dedication to the game.
The AFC Annual Awards Seoul 2023 highlighted the exceptional talents and tireless efforts shaping the future of football in Asia, reflecting the AFC's commitment to recognizing the passion and skill driving Asian football to new heights.