Kuala Lumpur, July 31 (IANS) The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Friday threw its weight behind the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football ( CONCACAF) in opposing FIFA’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, warning that the plan lacks the broad consensus needed to move forward and calling for an urgent review of FIFA’s governance and decision-making processes.
In a strongly worded statement, the AFC said it had observed ‘with deep concern’ the developments surrounding the proposed commercial restructuring and the divisions that have emerged across world football.
“The AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF in expressing serious concerns over FIFA’s proposal to introduce private investment into FIFA’s flagship competitions and the decision-making process around FFE,” the continental governing body said in an official statement.
The AFC added that the fact that discussions of a potential FIFA World Cup boycott had entered the public domain reflected the seriousness of the situation.
“The fact that the situation has reached the point where the real possibility of a FIFA World Cup boycott has entered public discourse should concern everyone who cares about the future of our game. Football should never have been placed in such a position,” the statement read.
The latest statement marks a significant escalation in the growing opposition to FIFA’s proposal, which seeks to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial subsidiary that would manage the governing body’s commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing, while raising up to 4.2 billion US dollars through the sale of minority stakes to private investors.
FIFA has argued that the plan would allow it to substantially increase development funding for its 211 member associations while retaining complete control over football governance and competitions.
However, the AFC said that, in light of the clear opposition from UEFA and CONCACAF and the unprecedented divisions across global football, it did not believe the proposal could realistically secure the broad support required to proceed.
“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. Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered,” it said.
The AFC stressed that the controversy extended beyond the FFE proposal itself and had exposed deeper shortcomings in FIFA’s governance structure.
It said the central concerns surrounding governance, institutional process and meaningful consultation remained unresolved despite FIFA’s recent clarification of the proposal.
The Asian governing body also urged FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework to ensure that future proposals of global significance are built on transparency, meaningful consultation and appropriate oversight.
The statement comes a day after UEFA and its 55 member associations announced they would not participate in FIFA competitions while the proposal remained in place, insisting that the World Cup “is not for sale.” CONCACAF also expressed concerns over the process, further deepening the divide over FIFA’s commercial restructuring plans.
“The FIFA World Cup, and the game itself, belong to the entire global football family. Their future must always be shaped collectively, through institutions that reflect the voices of all Confederations and member associations,” the AFC concluded.
–IANS
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