The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), today, unveiled the first episode of ‘Beyond the Field’, a documentary series offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the roles and responsibilities of match officials at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
Spanning five episodes, each focusing on a distinct aspect of refereeing at the continental showpiece, the documentary takes passionate fans of Asian football on a journey that provides a window into the mental and physical demands faced by match officials as they uphold the highest standards of officiating at the grandest edition of Asia’s crown jewel. With the 2023 edition featuring the largest-ever cast of officials, the first episode, ‘The Journey Begins’, takes the audience through the extensive preparations of the 74 appointed referees, including their participation in key events like the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Referees Seminar and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Preparatory Course, held in the lead-up to the competition. In the subsequent episodes, the documentary invites the audience to relive some of the biggest highlights from the 18th AFC Asian Cup™, such as the full debut of the Video Assistant Referee technology and the historic appointment of women officials at Asia’s premiere men’s national team competition. While the first four episodes chronicle the many milestones achieved by the Continent’s officials at the AFC Asian Cup, the final episode, ‘AFC Asian Cup and the Road to the FIFA World Cup 2026’, examines the road that lies ahead of the upcoming edition of the global showpiece. To watch the first episode of ‘Beyond the Field’, please click here.
Source: AFC
