The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA’s proposal to allow private investors to purchase stakes in its major football competitions, dealing a significant setback to the governing body’s plans.
In a statement released on Friday, the AFC said it stands alongside UEFA and Concacaf in rejecting the proposal, arguing that the initiative lacks the broad support needed to move forward.
The continental governing body stressed that the FIFA World Cup remains the pinnacle of international football because of the participation of every confederation and the world’s leading national teams. It warned that any proposal capable of weakening the competition’s unity or universal nature should be reconsidered.
The AFC’s position significantly reduces the likelihood of the proposal being approved if it is put to a vote among FIFA’s 211 member associations. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has indicated that the plan would require a simple majority of 106 votes to pass.
UEFA and Concacaf together account for 90 member associations, while the AFC represents 46 nations. Their combined opposition would leave the proposal well short of the support needed unless there were major shifts among other confederations.
The AFC also criticised FIFA’s handling of the proposal, saying the organisation had effectively decided on the direction of the initiative before properly consulting key stakeholders.
According to the AFC, the lack of meaningful engagement with member associations exposed weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes. The confederation said its members, along with FIFA’s own governing bodies, including the FIFA Council, had been sidelined during discussions.
The AFC called on FIFA to urgently review its governance framework to ensure that future proposals with global implications are developed through proper consultation, transparent engagement and appropriate oversight by the organisation’s statutory bodies.
The latest criticism follows UEFA’s announcement on Thursday that its members would boycott future FIFA World Cups if the investment proposal moves ahead. Concacaf also confirmed that its 41 member associations had rejected the initiative.
Responding to the growing opposition, FIFA said on Friday that it intended to continue pursuing the proposal while insisting that “nobody is selling football.” The organisation argued that public debate surrounding the plan had been affected by inaccurate media reports.
Under the proposal, FIFA would establish a commercial subsidiary to manage its flagship tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup. External investors would be permitted to acquire ownership stakes in the new commercial entity.
FIFA maintains that the proposal would strengthen the commercial future of its competitions without compromising the governance, integrity or spirit of world football.
However, critics remain unconvinced. UEFA has accused FIFA of prioritising financial interests over the game’s values, while both Concacaf and the AFC have questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the consultation process.
South America’s governing body, CONMEBOL, has not yet publicly stated its position on the proposal. Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) are expected to discuss the matter during meetings scheduled for August.
