Millions of fans have been engaged through the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) #BreakTheChain series since its launch on March 26, 2020, with close to 100 Asian players and officials offering messages of solidarity in the public awareness campaign and emphasising the importance of standing by the World Health Organization’s guidelines.

Football will have an important role to play in the weeks and months ahead as the world returns to normality, but now our focus is firmly on protecting the well-being of all those who are involved in our great game.

Each of you, in varying degrees, have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and many of your Governments have taken swift and strong action to prevent its spread and limit its impact on your communities including partial lockdown or restricting movement.

Indeed, in Malaysia, the home of AFC House, the Government has, as you have been informed, imposed a Movement Control Order and, as a precaution, the AFC had starting 17 March 2020 imposed a two week “work from home” initiative to safeguard the staff and their families from further exposure and will be extended if necessary.

In the meantime, business continues as normal to serve the needs of all our Member and Regional Associations as well as our wide range of stakeholders. I have instructed the Administration to process all approved AFAP payments on an urgent basis to ensure salaries of staff and other contractual payments can be made without any delay.

As you know the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus has led to the AFC, with your agreement, postponing matches and events. The AFC thanks you for your continued support, advice and co-operation.

Again, these changes to our calendar were aimed at ensuring the safety and health of our Members, their officials, their players, their staff and, of course, the millions of fans who engage with football in Asia each year.

Their health is, and always will be, our priority.

And that is why it is important that the AFC and all our Member and Regional Associations work with Governments and Health Agencies to curtail the threat of this virus and that everyone should take all precautions.

The AFC strongly urges all its Members to follow the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to exercise the highest levels of hygiene and are pleased to note that some Members have also declared a “work from home” initiative.

The AFC has built its strong foundations on unity and solidarity – particularly in the face of adversity – during the last six years and this situation is another challenge which we will take on together to protect not only our communities but also the future of our game.

Of course, the AFC will take a strong lead and will, as always, be on hand to offer advice and assistance to any of our Member and Regional Associations in these uncertain times.

Please all remain safe and I look forward to the time when football can again play a significant role in bringing excitement and joy to people across Asia.

The overwhelming backing of Member Associations, players and officials has seen numbers grow with close to 100 Asian football luminaries declaring their support behind the trending #BreakTheChain campaign.

The AFC’s initiative, supported by close to 100 players and officials, continues to reach new audiences and territories with more AFC Member Associations, Clubs, players and officials committing to lend their support to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) launched a feeding the poor programme while the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) is working closely with its Ministry of Health to provide accommodation to those returning to the country and are required to be quarantined.

Meanwhile the UAE Pro League has started a 10-day football skill challenge where they will donate money to the Fund of the United Arab Emirates - Homeland of Humanity - for every football skill video uploaded on Instagram.

With millions around the world engaged through the #BreakTheChain series, the trio are the latest Asian icons to raise awareness on practising the necessary measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 while urging everyone to follow the health and personal hygiene guidelines put in place by the Word Health Organization (WHO).

The #BreakTheChain public awareness campaign has been making waves across the Continent as more Asian icons share the rousing message for people to do their part in abiding by the World Health Organization’s guidelines on staying at home, maintaining personal hygiene and social distancing.