FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing an intense global backlash after the Asian Football Confederation joined European and North American governing bodies to reject a controversial proposal to sell shares in major tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.
In an official statement released on Friday, the AFC made its stance clear by standing united with other continental confederations against FIFA’s plan.
The Asian football governing body emphasized that the FIFA World Cup remains the ultimate stage of global football, deriving its strength from the collective participation of all confederations and top footballing nations.
It warned that any attempt to undermine the unity and global character of the World Cup requires immediate reconsideration, noting that FIFA’s unilateral approach lacks the consensus needed to move forward.
With the AFC joining the opposition alongside UEFA and CONCACAF, Infantino’s proposal faces almost certain defeat if brought to a vote.
Passing the proposal requires a majority of 106 votes among FIFA’s 211 member nations, but the combined opposition of Europe’s 55 members, North America’s 35 members, and Asia’s 46 members creates a formidable block of 136 votes against it.
The AFC strongly criticized FIFA’s habit of making high-stakes decisions unilaterally without consulting key stakeholders, calling it a serious flaw in FIFA’s decision-making process.
It accused Infantino of sidelining continental confederations, member associations, and even FIFA’s own governing bodies, such as the FIFA Council, while demanding an urgent review of how decisions are made within the organization.
The root of the controversy stems from FIFA’s plan to create a subsidiary company to manage the commercial rights of major tournaments and sell its shares to outside private investors.
UEFA launched a fierce attack on the plan, arguing that it compromises the core values of the sport to generate profits for insiders, and even warned of boycotting upcoming World Cups if FIFA pushes ahead.
CONCACAF, representing the North American region hosting the upcoming World Cup, also rejected the proposal, stating that its 41 member nations unanimously oppose the initiative.
Despite the growing opposition, FIFA defended its position with a statement claiming it is not selling football to anyone and blamed misleading media reports for causing confusion.
FIFA asserted that creating a new commercial entity would not affect football’s governance or the spirit of the game, though continental bodies remain unconvinced by the explanation.
While South America’s CONMEBOL has yet to take an official stance, the African and Oceanian confederations announced they will decide their positions following their respective meetings in August.
With the majority of global football governing bodies standing firmly against him, Infantino finds himself increasingly isolated in what is being viewed as the biggest setback of his presidency.
As the dispute escalates to a level that threatens the future stability of the World Cup itself, FIFA may ultimately be forced to withdraw its controversial decision.
