The meeting commenced with a strategic segment anchored in the FIFA World Cup 2026, in which the panel explored the impact of robust grassroots landscapes in helping teams succeed on the global stage.

The conversation then turned to the core pillars of grassroots football, including ways to encourage mass participation and using the platform to develop high quality footballers, as well as identifying key priorities for young players ranging from technical skills and speed and mobility to group play and emotional capacity.

A lot of the characteristics we see in top players on the world’s biggest stages, such as speed, endurance and power, have been honed from a very young age,” said Roxburgh. “So we must think of ways to harness the potential at grassroots level and develop the game from an early age.”

The panellists were then brought up to speed on the latest AFC Grassroots Charter Regulations, with the 2027 version set to feature several new provisions, including measures to further strengthen accessibility and inclusion in grassroots football, enhanced requirements for grassroots data collection, management and reporting, and an updated 11-step Evaluation Process.

Another key topic under the spotlight was safe heading, with the experts engaging in a dialogue on the progressive introduction of heading skills in children's football, with plans to engage in further conversation with peers such as UEFA, as well as medical experts from the AFC’s various MAs.

Additionally, the panel celebrated the milestones of the past year, including the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026, which saw a record 45 MAs participate in a diverse range of football-related activities.

Before the programme drew to an end, the panellists were updated on the various upcoming activities, including evaluations and re-evaluations under the AFC Grassroots Charter, and the AFC President’s Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football 2026 and the AFC Special Grassroots Awards 2026.