▲ FIFA President Gianni Infantino
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have issued a joint statement publicly rebuking FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his recent actions.
In an open letter to the football family released today (August 10), they stated, "Football does not belong to any single individual or organization," criticizing Infantino's push to hand over commercial rights for major FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.
FIFA recently found itself at the center of controversy after plans were unveiled to establish a new for-profit entity named "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE) dedicated to operating the World Cup and major tournaments, aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion (approx. 6 trillion won) through stake sales.
UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA-organized tournaments, including the World Cup, and various European football associations, including England, withdrew their support for President Infantino.
Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness publicly called for Infantino's resignation.
Although the plan was ultimately withdrawn in the face of fierce backlash centered in Europe, the fallout continues to reverberate.
UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF stated, "While growth over the past decade is an undeniable fact, it is by no means the achievement of a single individual. It is the result built together by FIFA, each continental confederation, member associations, and countless individuals dedicated to football."
They emphasized that everything—including the expansion of tournament scale, the selection of host countries for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, and the allocation of resources to member associations—has been a joint decision and must remain so.
Directly targeting President Infantino, they stated, "Leadership in the football world is not 'property,' nor is it about seizing or demanding power. It is an obligation of service to the football family that delegated that leadership," adding, "That obligation is forsaken when trust is broken through deception and an individual reigns above the community that entrusted them with authority."
UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF raised issues regarding the process of discussing tournament stake sales and FIFA's subsequent response.
They pointed out, "FIFA's recent letter sent to the vice presidents and the 211 member associations acknowledged that mistakes were made during the process. While they are brushing this matter aside as a mere failure of communication, what the football world witnessed was a failure of judgment."
They criticized, "A proposal rushed through under a tight schedule without meaningful consultation and before member associations could properly review the terms is not merely a mistake, but the product of a design intended to limit scrutiny," adding, "FIFA's letter failed to acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently flawed."
UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF also contested FIFA's plan to investigate the matter and submit findings to the Council, arguing, "The investigation must be conducted by a completely independent third party—not by FIFA itself, its employees, or any entity within the football community."
They added, "The strength of football has always lain in unity and solidarity. We now demand that solidarity be respected through leadership that serves rather than seeks to govern football."
Among FIFA's 211 member associations, 55 belong to UEFA, 46 to the AFC, and 35 to CONCACAF.
However, some nations within the AFC and CONCACAF have expressed support for Infantino, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) are also backing him.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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