Asia Joins Football's Stand: Expressing Serious Concerns Over FIFA's Proposal

“The AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF, expressing serious concerns regarding FIFA's proposal to introduce private investment into competitions and decision-making processes. The fact that the situation has escalated to a point where a World Cup boycott is a real threat should alarm anyone who cares about the future of our sport. Football should never have reached such a predicament,” AP quoted the AFC's official statement.

FIFA intends to create a new subsidiary, FFE (FIFA Forward Enterprise), to manage major events like the World Cup and Club World Cup, and to sell a portion of marketing rights to private investors. FIFA plans to offer investors a 20 percent stake in the new company. All 211 FIFA member associations would also receive a share in the company, which they would then have the right to sell or retain.

“The AFC believes that FFE will realistically not gain widespread acceptance for this vision to move forward. Instead, it exposes fundamental flaws in FIFA's consultation and decision-making processes that need immediate attention,” states the official AFC website.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino set a deadline of September 19 for each member association to accept a one-time offer of 20 million dollars. The World Leagues Forum (WLF), which includes Slovakia's Niké Liga, also publicly criticized the proposal.