Ashley Westwood has been appointed as the new head coach of Hong Kong's football team, replacing Jorn Andersen, who led the team to their first Asian Cup finals since 1968. The 47-year-old Englishman, a former Manchester United trainee, has experience coaching in India and Malaysia, and previously managed Afghanistan's national team. Westwood expressed confidence in the quality of Hong Kong players and aims to elevate the team's performance in international competitions, specifically targeting qualification for the Asian Cup in 2027. He noted the importance of establishing a positive culture within the team and emphasized his belief in the potential of Hong Kong's football talent. Westwood's first match in charge will be against Liechtenstein on October 10. Additionally, the Hong Kong Football Association announced a new initiative to promote football refereeing to enhance the local officiating standards.