Asian Football Confederation Backs UEFA and CONCACAF, Rejects FIFA Proposal

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined UEFA and CONCACAF in opposing FIFA’s proposal to allow private investors to acquire stakes in the commercial operations of its flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup.

In a statement, the Kuala Lumpur-based governing body said it stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF, expressing serious concerns about FIFA’s plan to introduce private investment into the management of its major tournaments.

The AFC warned that the controversy has escalated to the point where discussions of a possible boycott of the FIFA World Cup have entered public debate, describing the situation as a matter of concern for everyone involved in global football.

The confederation stated:

“The AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF in expressing serious concerns over FIFA’s proposal to introduce private investment into FIFA’s flagship competitions.”

It added that:

“The fact that the situation has reached the point where the real possibility of a FIFA World Cup boycott has entered public discourse should concern everyone who cares about the future of our game.”

The AFC, which represents 47 member associations, including Australia, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Qatar, is the latest continental football body to publicly question FIFA’s proposal.

The proposal seeks to establish a commercial company to manage FIFA’s biggest tournaments, including the World Cup, while allowing private investors to purchase minority ownership stakes. FIFA says the initiative would generate billions of dollars to increase financial support for its member associations.

However, several continental confederations believe the proposal was introduced without sufficient consultation and have raised concerns about the growing commercialisation of football and the potential impact on the governance and integrity of the sport.