In a rare public rebuke, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, denounced FIFA’s latest commercial blueprint during a gathering in Bahrain, while the AFC convened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to assess the proposal.
A Plan Devoid of Dialogue
FIFA’s scheme envisions a $20 billion commercial subsidiary that would control the World Cup and assorted tournaments, a move the AFC says bypasses essential consultation with its 47 member associations.
Sheikh Salman labeled the initiative ‘totally unacceptable’, arguing that it erodes the continental framework that has long underpinned Asian football and raises serious questions about transparency.
The AFC president urged that any decision be reached only after a rigorous examination through the proper legal and governance channels, warning that the September 19 deadline imposed by FIFA leaves little room for meaningful debate.
Infantino’s accompanying offer of a $40 million grant to each federation, contingent on swift approval, was portrayed by the AFC as a coercive incentive rather than a collaborative gesture.
The confederation has called on its members to pause any vote until the outcomes of the ongoing consultations are clear, reaffirming its commitment to work constructively with FIFA, stakeholders and the broader football community.
Observers note that the dispute reflects a growing tension between global football’s commercial ambitions and the regional bodies that safeguard the sport’s structural integrity.