Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta Jr. got re-elected for a second term as a member of the FIFA council during the Asian Football Confederation Executive Committee meeting Wednesday in Manama, Bahrain.
Araneta, who served as chief of mission in the Tokyo Olympics, was also appointed as the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 apart from getting a fresh four-year term in the AFC council, which lasts until 2027.
The Organizing Committee will assist the AFC in matters regarding the Asian Cup.
Araneta vows to do his best to make sure the biggest football competition in the region will be successful.
“I accept the appointment of the AFC Executive Committee to be the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for the AFC Asian Cup 2023. I thank the leadership of the AFC led by Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa for the trust and opportunity to help oversee with the other members of the committee the continent’s showpiece competition, the AFC Asian Cup,” Araneta said.
“I am looking forward to working with Asian football’s stakeholders to ensure that the staging of the Asian Cup will be a success.”
Joining him in the FIFA Council are Kohzo Tajima of Japan, Datuk Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amon of Malaysia, H.E. Sheikh Hamad Khalifa A. A. Al Thani of Qatar, and Yasser Al Misehal of Saudi Arabia.
Also present in the meeting were PFF vice president Joselito Pinol, PFF board member Jay Adriatico and PFF general secretary Edwin Gastanes, who acted as the voting delegate from the Philippines.
Araneta, 68, was one of the officials who voted in favor of increasing the Asian slots in the FIFA World Cup from 4.5 to 8.5 starting in the 2026 edition, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
