The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has accused FIFA of undermining the very foundations of football by failing to consult confederations over a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. In a letter sent on Thursday to its 47 members, AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa condemned FIFA's unilateral actions in doing a deal with Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital to buy 20% of a new company that would control the commercial rights of all global tournaments.
AFC's Strong Condemnation
Al-Khalifa's letter, seen by the Guardian, expressed deep concern that FIFA did not consult the AFC before the public announcement. He wrote: “The AFC notes with great concern and disappointment that it was not consulted by Fifa at any level prior to the public announcement of this proposal, and nor has it received any detailed governance, financial or legal analysis of the proposal and its potential repercussions, which is totally unacceptable.”
He added: “Furthermore, the AFC is deeply concerned that Fifa’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football, which are based on solidarity, cooperation and transparency. Moreover, such an initiative will not succeed without the support of all the confederations, which is not the case now.”
Critical Balance of Power
The AFC's intervention appears significant because the confederation has previously been a strong supporter of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and had pledged to vote for him en masse in next year's presidential election. With South America's Conmebol and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) firmly behind Infantino, the AFC holds the balance of power. UEFA and Concacaf have strongly opposed the sell-off, but with only 65 votes between them, they lack the numbers to block the proposal, which requires a simple majority of FIFA's 211 member associations.
Call for Extended Timeline
Al-Khalifa also called on FIFA to alter its timetable after Infantino gave national associations a deadline of 19 September to decide whether to accept an initial payment of $20m generated by the sale. He stated: “The AFC is surprised that the current timeline allows an extremely limited period for consideration of a proposal of such significance, when such decisions should never be rushed, and it is imperative that all factors be considered and debated.”
He emphasized that sufficient time must be allowed for a comprehensive assessment, including legal and governance due diligence, and that the matter should be handled in accordance with FIFA statutes and the highest standards of ethics and good governance.
UEFA Emergency Meeting
UEFA will hold an emergency meeting of its 55 members on Thursday afternoon to discuss next steps. A senior source told the Guardian that a boycott of FIFA tournaments would be the main discussion point.
