The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has become the latest football governing body to push back against FIFA’s proposal to bring private investors into the commercial side of the FIFA World Cup.
In a statement released on Friday, the AFC expressed “serious concerns” about the plan, which would reportedly create a commercial subsidiary for FIFA’s major tournaments backed by private investment. The proposal is said to involve a US$20 billion venture supported by New York-based investor Joshua Kushner.
According to the AFC, the initiative lacks the broad support needed from football’s global stakeholders and is unlikely to unite the sport’s governing bodies. The confederation, which represents 47 member associations across Asia, urged FIFA to reconsider the proposal and review its governance and decision-making processes.
“The proposal cannot realistically achieve the broad consensus and unity required to move forward,” the AFC said, while calling for an urgent reassessment of FIFA’s leadership framework.
The AFC’s position follows strong opposition from other regional confederations. UEFA has reportedly voted unanimously to boycott FIFA tournaments if the proposal moves ahead, while Concacaf, which oversees football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, has also rejected the plan.
Citing the growing divisions within world football, the AFC warned that the project faces significant obstacles without widespread backing from football’s major stakeholders.
Despite the criticism, FIFA has reaffirmed its commitment to consulting all 211 member associations before making any final decision. The governing body said recent media reports had disrupted the consultation process but insisted it would continue gathering feedback from its members.
FIFA also rejected claims that it was “selling football,” stating that such an idea was never under consideration. At the same time, it acknowledged the concerns raised by confederations and emphasized that the proposal would only proceed if it receives the support of its member associations.
The organization made it clear that if the required approval is not secured, the proposed commercial entity—known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE)—will not be established, and FIFA’s existing commercial operations will remain unchanged.
The growing opposition from three major continental confederations now places increasing pressure on FIFA as it seeks support for one of the most significant commercial changes in the organization’s history.
