20 September: AFC’s Dream Asia Foundation releases urgent funding for disaster recovery in Myanmar after the earthquake that hit the central part of the country and the Northern Mariana Islands that were hit by a Category 5 super typhoon.
The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s “Rebuild, Better, Stronger” program is scheduled to be completed in February 2027 and will restore the Northern Mariana Islands Football Training Centre, which was critically damaged by Typhoon Sinlaku on 14 April 2026. Dream Asia Foundation funding will replace essential equipment, restore facilities with resilient and safe infrastructure for football.
The Mandalay Football Academy Recovery Program of the Myanmar Football Federation is also a structural initiative that was launched in response to the March 28, 2025 earthquake, which left the academy building unsafe. The plan is to rebuild a modern and resilient center of excellence to house and train 140 football students aged between 12 and 17, while completely re-establishing the talent pathway for coaches, referees and local football clubs. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2027.
The foundation also approved two projects using the mandatory 5% social responsibility allocation of AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two prize funds earned by clubs in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale will use 5% of their prize money as 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite runners-up to launch the ‘Blue Dream’ programme, a 12-month initiative to tackle the ‘gaming crisis’ in the city of Kawasaki, where 90% of local parks ban ball games.
The club’s three-pillar strategy, spanning Safeguarding, Education and Social Inclusion, includes a food drive for 25,000 participants, the ‘Blue Santa’ hospital initiative, therapy dogs for 2,000 children, inclusive football clinics for 150,000 people and a resilience project teaching 500 children lessons from the East Japan Earthquake.
In the UAE, AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 champions Sharjah Football Club will use their prize money to fund the ‘Football for Hope’ programme, which will be delivered in partnership with The Big Heart Foundation from November 2026 to February 2027.
The program includes 32 training sessions led by trainers and educational workshops for 150 vulnerable children and young people. First-team players will provide direct mentoring and the club will guarantee long-term stadium access and matchday experiences for participants to ensure a lasting legacy.
All the projects were approved by the Board of Trustees (BoT) during its fifth meeting in Nagoya, Japan under the chairmanship of HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal. Dream Asia Foundation projects support infrastructure and provide funding directly to vulnerable communities.
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