First AFC football eSports Forum looks to the future

Avatar
Image credit: AFC

The Asian Football Confederation has looked to the future in the first ever AFC Football eSports Forum.

Hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over two days, the forum reiterated the AFC’s dedication to captivate and draw audiences across a range of different multimedia, especially through the hugely popular gaming industry.

The conference brought together key stakeholders such as AFC Member Associations (MAs) and eSports professionals to develop off the triumph of the AFC eAsian Cup, which was launched alongside the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.

To begin the forum, event attendees participated in an introductory session to understand the AFC’s Football eSports strategy.

AFC Deputy General Secretary, Shin Man Gil, outlined the importance of adopting eSports into the AFC.
“Earlier this year, we marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Confederation’s rich legacy when we introduced the AFC eAsian Cup,” he said in a press release.
“It demonstrated the immense potential of eSports and opened the doors to welcome a whole new section of fans. We must embrace digital innovations to expand the reach of our sport and deepen our connection with fans, especially with our younger audience.”
Forum sessions presented by the Football Association of Indonesia, and United Arab Emirates Football Association, focused on identifying and growing Football eSports talent and sharing insights.
On the second day of the conference, game designer Konami showcased their latest updates to the eFootball game, highlighting the inclusion of the AFC continental tournaments. While in another session, attendees learned of ways to engage young people through digital mediums.
Pranav Jayachandran from the All India Football Federation, commented on the significance of the forum.
“Listening to the success stories of our peers has been incredibly inspiring and we will return from this Forum with a wealth of knowledge that will surely contribute to enhancing our respective football eSports initiatives,” he said via press release.
“The world of football eSports is continuously expanding and to be part of this process is really exciting. The AFC eAsian Cup was not only a thrilling experience but also signalled the immense potential of Asian teams, and we are all eager to see how this ecosystem evolves in the future.”
The AFC will next launch the AFC eChampions League Elite event in April-May 2025, signalling the organisation’s commitment to developing Football eSports.
Previous ArticleNext Article

Labor announces campaign promise for Football facility upgrades in Hepburn Shire

Avatar
Soccer Facilities Set for $1.2 Million Upgrade in Hepburn Shire
Image Credit: Poppy Pix/ Shutterstock

The growing participation of women and girls in soccer throughout the Hepburn Shire is set to receive a significant boost, with two local facilities earmarked for major upgrades.

Member for Ballarat Catherine King announced the funding commitment which targets Victoria Park in Daylesford and the Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve in Creswick.

This funding is totalled at $1.2 million should the Federal Labor Government secure re-election on May 3. These upgrades address critical infrastructure shortfalls that have hindered growth in female participation.

Labor Federal MP Catherine King, who has held the Labor ‘stronghold’ seat since the 2022 election has been vocal in her support for women’s football and the struggles faced.

“The current situation where women and girls are forced to use men’s changerooms, cars or old sheds for match preparation is simply not acceptable in modern sport,” King commented via The Ballarat Times.

“These clubs have created welcoming environments that women and girls want to be part of, and these upgrades will provide the facilities they deserve.”

The Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club, which currently supports approximately 150 players including 40 female participants, has been forced to implement membership caps due to inadequate pitch capacity.

The proposed reconfiguration at Victoria Park will deliver two senior-sized pitches, accommodating the surge in junior and women’s participation.

Meanwhile, at the Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve, funding will enable the construction of additional female-friendly changing facilities for both players and officials.

The commitment reflects the changing landscape of Australian soccer, with female participation rates continuing to climb nationwide.

Local sporting administrators have welcomed the announcement, noting that inadequate facilities have long been identified as a significant barrier to growing female participation in grassroots sport.

These election commitments would be delivered in accordance with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles should the Albanese Government secure another term.

The need for development of local facilities has become more evident and pressing. Most amateur clubs primary funding for upgrades is through government grants.

Sport is such an integral part of the Australian landscape and the need for fair opportunity for women gains momentum, promises like this hold great hope for people and lasting positive impacts.

As the most played sport in the state and Australia, especially among women, its positive to hear that, like other codes football is getting the recognition and support it deserves.

DAZN turns down LFP proposal to end Ligue 1 broadcasting deal

Avatar
Image credit: DAZN

Broadcaster DAZN has rejected a proposal brought forward by the French Professional Football League (LFP) to terminate its five-year broadcasting deal for Ligue 1 after one season.

The sports streaming platform originally signed a five-year deal worth AUD $715 million (€400 million) a year to broadcast eight out of the nine Ligue 1 matches each week.

But with fewer subscribers than expected — reportedly only around 500,000, far below the 1.5 million needed to break even, the company has been pushing to renegotiate the deal.

In February, DAZN held back half of a AUD $125 million (€70 million) payment, accusing the LFP of not doing enough to fight piracy.

It also criticised the league and clubs for not promoting its broadcasts or collaborating on content.

The LFP responded by taking legal action, and DAZN eventually made the payment by the end of the month.

In March, both sides entered mediation to reach a compromise.

According to several reports, the proposed solution would have DAZN pay the league AUD$250 million (€140 million) — covering the full amount owed for this season — plus up to AUD$223.6 million (€125 million) in compensation for next season.

After that, the deal will officially end at the close of the current season.

This week, Ligue 1 clubs voted in favour of the proposal but DAZN has now rejected it, paving the way for possible legal action.

As a result, the LFP released a statement regarding DAZN’s rejection of the proposal.

“LFP Media notes the failure of the mediation initiated at the beginning of March 2025,” they said in a press release.

“The contract binding the parties remains in force and LFP Media expects its partner to fully fulfil all of its obligations in this regard.”

Before the mediation process began, DAZN had demanded AUD $1.025 billion (€573 million) in compensation from the LFP, accusing the league of not living up to its end of the deal.

In response to the LFP, DAZN released its own statement.

“After four months of discussions — including six weeks of mediation — initiated in good faith by DAZN and involving several proposals, the mediation unfortunately did not succeed in sufficiently bridging the gap between the parties,” they said following the LFP’s statement.

“It has therefore not been possible at this stage to reach an agreement for an amicable resolution of the situation.”

DAZN’s rejection of the deal has effectively ended the mediation process, with negotiations between the streaming service and the LFP now finished.

However, reports from France indicate that the two sides are expected to meet again on April 30th, the deadline for DAZN’s next payment for the current season.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend