AFC aligns with UEFA and CONCACAF against FIFA’s World Cup investment scheme
The Asian Football Confederation has thrown its weight behind the growing resistance to FIFA’s proposal to offload a stake in the World Cup to private investors, echoing the stances of its European and North American counterparts.
In a statement that underscored concerns over transparency and governance, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa described the way the plan was presented as ‘totally unacceptable’, warning that the creation of a $20 billion commercial subsidiary — dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise — lacks the broad consensus and unity required to move forward.
A coordinated push for reform
The confederation’s criticism extends to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whom it accuses of exposing deep flaws in the organization’s consultation and decision‑making processes, while also calling for sweeping institutional reform that would embed transparent governance, timely consultation, informed deliberation and genuine participation.
Although FIFA recently urged member associations to review the proposal, the AFC insists that the fundamental governance gaps remain unaddressed, reinforcing its demand for a restructured decision‑making framework before any commercial restructuring can be contemplated.
The unified front presented by the AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF signals a pivotal moment in football’s governing landscape, as the three bodies demand not only a halt to the sale of World Cup rights but also a comprehensive overhaul of FIFA’s internal mechanisms, a demand that could reshape the sport’s global power dynamics.