Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa’s campaign to become the next president of FIFA was unanimously supported by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi, India on Friday.

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The members of the AFC Executive Committee passed a resolution urging all member associations to unite behind and support the AFC president in his efforts to be elected as the first FIFA president from Asia.

Shaikh Salman, 50, is one of five validated candidates competing to succeed Sepp Blatter at the helm of the crisis-addled organsation during February 26, 2016’s election.

“It is a big support for my campaign, as well as an honour for me, to have the endorsement and full backing of the AFC Executive Committee,” he said.

“Since you are the elected representatives of the AFC member associations, it also sends a strong message that Asia is behind one candidate. I thank you for your support. I am confident that the next president of FIFA will be from Asia.” 

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee also agreed to double the prize money for its flagship AFC Champions League and AFC Cup competitions from the 2016 season. This will see the winners of the ACL earn $3 million and runners-up – who in 2015 were Al Ahli after they lost 1-0 to China’s Guangzhou Evergrande – earn $1.5m.

“The AFC wants to reward success,” Shaikh Salman said. “This increase in prize money will make the AFC Champions League, already breaking records for television viewers and ground attendances, even more fiercely contested.”

The Executive Committee were meeting in New Delhi ahead of Sunday’s 2015 AFC Annual Awards. Al Ahli’s Ahmed Khalil and Al Ain’s Omar Abdulrahman are both on the three-man shortlist for the AFC Player of the Year title.