AFC announces ASPETAR as Official Medical Partner

Doha, Qatar: 20^th April 2026- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today announced ASPETAR, one of the world's foremost orthopaedic and sports medicine hospitals, as its Official Medical Partner of all major AFC club competitions as well as several national team competitions through to June 2029.

Based in Doha, Qatar, ASPETAR is widely regarded as one of the leading sports medicine institutions in the world, providing elite-level care to professional athletes in various sporting disciplines. Through this partnership, ASPETAR will work alongside the AFC to support the continued growth of football across Asia.

This announcement is the natural culmination of a relationship built over many years of meaningful collaboration. ASPETAR served as the medical service provider for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, delivering expert athlete care at one of Asian football's most celebrated tournaments.

As an accredited AFC Medical Centre of Excellence, ASPETAR also recently served as the Premier Partner of the 8th AFC Medical Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in July 2025, reinforcing their shared commitment to advancing the science and medicine of football at the highest level. Today, that partnership takes its next step, with ASPETAR formally joining the AFC's global family as an Official Global Supporter.

Datuk Seri Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said:

The AFC’s partnership with ASPETAR is more than a collaboration; it is a foundational pillar for the health and wellbeing of our athletes across the Continent.

ASPETAR has demonstrated an unwavering loyalty to Asian football, consistently standing by the AFC through every milestone and their journey with us—from becoming an accredited AFC Medical Centre of Excellence to their pivotal role in the success of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™—is a testament to their deep-rooted commitment to our Vision and Mission.

“By renewing and expanding our relationship, we are establishing the highest global standards for medical care right here in Asia and we are delighted to formally welcome such a trusted and steadfast partner into our global family of supporters.”

Khalid Ali Al Mawlawi, ASPETAR Acting Director General, said:

ASPETAR’s partnership with the AFC is founded on a long-standing and valued relationship built on mutual trust and shared goals. It reflects our joint commitment to advancing athlete health, promoting medical education, and strengthening research in football medicine.

As an AFC Medical Centre of Excellence and a globally recognised leader in sports medicine, ASPETAR is proud to continue working alongside the AFC to support the development of football medicine across Asia and beyond.  

Patrick Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of Asia Football Group, said: “We are proud to welcome ASPETAR as an Official Medical Partner of the AFC. Bringing together world-class sports medicine and the very best of Asian football, this partnership reflects our commitment to the health and wellbeing of athletes across our competitions, and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on the growth of the game across the Continent.”

About the AFC  

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations.

The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup™, the AFC Women's Asian Cup™, and the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™, which are the flagship Continental national team football and futsal competitions. The AFC Champions League Elite™, AFC Champions League Two™, and AFC Women's Champions League™ are the premier competitions for Asian clubs, drawing millions of fans to the beautiful game across the continent and beyond.  

About Asia Football Group

Asia Football Group (AFG) is the exclusive commercial agency for the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) competitions from 2023-2028. AFG's partnership with the AFC covers the commercial rights for all major AFC National Team and Club competitions, including the AFC Asian Cup™, AFC Asian Qualifiers™, AFC Women's Asian Cup™, AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers, AFC Champions League Elite™, AFC Women's Champions League™, and AFC Champions League Two™ as well as AFC youth and futsal competitions.  

About Aspetar:

Aspetar is a world-leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital and the first of its kind in the Middle East. Since 2007, with a world expert team, the hospital has provided top-level comprehensive medical treatment to all athletes in a state-of-the-art facility that sets new standards internationally.

In 2009, Aspetar was accredited as a “FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence” by F-MARC. In 2013, Aspetar was adopted as a reference collaborator centre by the Gulf Countries Council (GCC) Health Ministers Council and “The IOC Research Centre for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health” in 2014.

In 2015, Aspetar has been recognised as the “IHF Reference Centre for Athlete and Referee Health”. In the same year, the hospital also achieved obtained-on December 15 the Accreditation Canada International (ACI) “Platinum Level”.

Aspetar is a member–organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar’s innovative sports and healthy lifestyle destination.