FIFA President, Gianni Infantino’s, proposal to sell stakes in the governing body’s competitions to private investors has suffered another major setback after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) threw its weight behind UEFA and CONCACAF in rejecting the plan.
In a statement issued on Friday, the AFC said it fully supports the positions already taken by UEFA and CONCACAF, arguing that the proposal lacks the broad backing needed to move forward.
According to the AFC, the plan cannot “realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward.”
“The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world’s leading football nations,” the Confederation said.
“Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered.”
The AFC’s position significantly weakens the chances of the proposal being approved should it be put to a vote by FIFA’s member associations.
Infantino had indicated that the proposal would require a simple majority to pass, meaning at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 members would have to vote in its favour.
UEFA and CONCACAF together account for 90 votes, while the AFC represents 46 member associations.
The Asian football governing body also criticised FIFA for deciding the “direction of travel” on such a significant proposal before consulting key stakeholders.
It said FIFA’s failure to engage its member associations before unveiling the plan had “exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed.”
The AFC further accused FIFA of leaving “Confederations, Member Associations and even FIFA’s own governing bodies, including the FIFA Council, feeling sidelined.”
It urged world football’s governing body to urgently review its governance and decision-making framework to ensure that proposals with global implications are developed through proper consultation, meaningful engagement and appropriate oversight by FIFA’s statutory bodies.