The AFC Dream Asia Foundation has been billed as the continental body’s brand for social responsibility initiatives.

The Foundation is tasked with creating meaningful partnerships with international and local organisations in Asia, ensuring an equitable distribution of funds to help disadvantaged and marginalised people in Asia, as well as educational activities through football.

Ensuring a safe and healthy environment for everyone to enjoy football is also among the foundation’s tasks, with child safeguarding, education and social inclusion listed among the key goals.

Prince Abdulaziz, also Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister, was confirmed as the chair of the foundation’s Board of Trustees by the AFC.

Saudi Arabia has sought to increase its status within sport by holding key positions and staging major sports events, such as the 2034 Asian Games.

Saudi Arabia is one of four nations bidding to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, as well as Qatar, India and Iran.

The nation has faced accusations of sportswashing, with ongoing criticism of the nation’s human rights record.

Prince Abdulaziz will be joined on the AFC Dream Asia Foundation board by Hong Kong Football Association President Timothy Fok, also the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong President.

ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) President and Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) Vice-President Major General Khiev Sameth completes the three appointees.

The three officials will serve four-year terms until 2025.

"The AFC Dream Asia Foundation was established with the primary purpose of driving the AFC’s ambitions of maximising the unifying force of our beautiful game to positively impact our vulnerable communities across Asia," said AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

"Our three founding members bring with them their vast and diverse range of experiences and, on behalf of the Asian football family, I am pleased and honoured to welcome them to the AFC Dream Asia Foundation.

"I want to thank them for their willingness to serve and I am confident that they will elevate the transformative impact and delivery of our social development programmes in the coming years.

"Above all, the appointment of these outstanding domain experts reinforces the AFC’s commitment to ensure we deliver the most meaningful programmes in line with the industry’s best practices, whilst upholding the highest standards of good governance and accountability."

The AFC say the three officials have more than 50 years of cumulative experience in a diverse range of industries.

The industries reportedly include sports administration, public service, business, economics, as well as social development and philanthropy.

The organisation said the trustees will strengthen the strategic oversight and management of funds received and disbursed under the AFC Dream Asia Foundation.

The Foundation was launched in March 2017 and has been claimed to have empowered vulnerable committees across the AFC’s 47 Member Associations by partnering with renowned international and local non-profit entities and organisations.