The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), UEFA, and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have jointly accused FIFA of a "fundamental breach of trust" and "deception" over its handling of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup. In an open letter to the football family released on Monday, the three confederations said the episode raises serious questions about the integrity of football's leadership, and they have demanded an independent review of the failed proposal.
Confederations condemn FIFA's 'profound failure of judgment'
The letter, signed by the heads of the AFC, UEFA, and CONCACAF, directly criticizes FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating that his actions represent a "profound failure of judgment" and accusing him of behaving as though "the game is answerable to him." The confederations emphasized that leadership in football is not a possession but a duty of service, and that trust has been broken through deception.
The joint statement reads: "This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it. Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding - or demanding - power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it. When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned."
Background: FIFA Forward Enterprise and the 20% stake sale
The controversy stems from Infantino's proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company designed to manage the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA's tournaments. The plan included selling approximately 20% of the company to private investors. Infantino has since apologized for the proposal, but the confederations argue that the apology does not go far enough.
The letter states: "A proposal advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed toward a deadline before member associations could properly review its terms is not the product of an oversight -- it is the product of a design intended to limit scrutiny. It did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong. There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was a profound failure of judgment - not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust with the very institutions FIFA exists to serve."
Demand for independent review
The three confederations are calling for an independent third-party review of the failed scheme, rather than an internal FIFA-led investigation. The letter criticizes FIFA's commitment to present a report to the FIFA Council, arguing that proper governance requires a review conducted by an independent body, not by FIFA itself or its staff.
"FIFA has also committed to presenting a full report on these events to the FIFA Council, once again failing to recognize that proper governance in the face of such a profound lack of judgment would require that such a review be conducted by a fully independent third party, not by FIFA itself, its staff, or by any stakeholder within football. The FIFA administration should play no role in conducting the review," the letter states.
Potential alternative competitions
In a significant development, the AFC, UEFA, and CONCACAF have reportedly held preliminary talks about organizing their own competitions in response to the backlash. UEFA has previously threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions, and PA understands that these discussions are aimed at ensuring players under their jurisdictions have meaningful competitive opportunities.
UEFA governs football in Europe, CONCACAF oversees North and Central America and the Caribbean, and the AFC covers Asia. Together, these confederations represent a significant portion of global football, making any coordinated action a major challenge to FIFA's authority.
Calls for accountability and unity
The letter concludes with a strong call for accountability and a return to unity in football. It states: "There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness. These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership. That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve. Football's strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it."
The joint statement underscores the growing rift between FIFA and its member confederations, and the demand for an independent review signals a potential turning point in football governance. As the world's most popular sport faces this crisis, the outcome of this dispute could reshape the power dynamics at the highest levels of the game.
