FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors has suffered a fresh blow today, as Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined UEFA and CONCACAF, becoming the third of world football’s six continental bodies to publicly oppose FIFA’s $20bn World Cup investment plan.
In a statement, the AFC affirmed that. the World Cup draws its strength from the participation of every confederation and the sport’s top nations.
Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered. Also, member associations were not properly consulted before FIFA set the direction of the Initiative
The AFC went further, arguing the episode had exposed deeper problems in FIFA’s decision-making, with confederations, member associations, and even FIFA’s own Council left feeling sidelined. It called on FIFA to overhaul its process for major decisions, urging genuine consultation and oversight going forward.
Will this decision mount pressure on Gianni Infantino?
With UEFA, CONCACAF, and now the AFC all publicly against the plan, FIFA faces resistance from three of its six continental confederations.
The AFC’s intervention follows a week of escalating tension since FIFA unveiled the plan, which would create a new commercial entity to hold private investment and control the rights to major events including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. UEFA has previously said the plan threatens the “soul and governance” of the sport, while opposition from CONCACAF has added further weight to concerns from national federations across multiple continents.
With three confederations now on record against the proposal, the coming weeks are likely to bring renewed pressure on FIFA to either revise its approach or risk a vote it may not win.
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