AFC Joins UEFA and Concacaf in Opposing FIFA’s World Cup Investment Plan

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has become the latest football governing body to oppose FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup to private investors.

In a detailed statement released on Friday, the AFC, which represents 47 member associations across Asia, expressed "serious concerns" over the plan, warning that it lacks the broad support needed to move forward.

The proposal, championed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, would create a new commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), reportedly valued at US$20 billion and backed by New York-based investor Joshua Kushner.

According to the AFC, the proposal has created significant divisions within the global football community and should be reconsidered.

"The proposed FFE cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward," the AFC stated, urging FIFA to conduct an urgent review of its governance and decision-making processes.

The AFC's stance follows similar opposition from UEFA and Concacaf. On Thursday, UEFA unanimously voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments if the proposal proceeds, while Concacaf, which governs football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the initiative.

Citing the positions of both confederations, the AFC said the growing divisions across world football make it unrealistic for the proposal to gain the widespread backing required for implementation.

Despite the mounting criticism, FIFA reaffirmed its commitment to the consultation process on Friday, insisting that recent media reports had misrepresented the proposal and disrupted discussions with stakeholders.

The world football governing body said it would continue consulting its 211 member associations to ensure each federation can make an informed decision based on accurate information.

FIFA also rejected claims that it was attempting to "sell football," stressing that such an idea had never been under consideration.

However, the organization acknowledged the concerns raised by football stakeholders and admitted that the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise would only proceed if it receives the backing of its member associations. Without that support, FIFA said its current commercial structure would remain unchanged.