Get you up to speed: FIFA World Cup plan fallout: AFC reacts as Infantino scraps investment push
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the cancellation of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup following backlash from regional confederations, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa emphasised the need for transparency in future discussions regarding initiatives affecting global football.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s decision to scrap the investment plans was influenced by significant opposition from regional confederations, particularly the AFC. The AFC has emphasised the need for future initiatives impacting global football to be discussed transparently and respectfully with all stakeholders.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed FIFA’s decision to abandon its investment plan, emphasising the necessity for transparency in future initiatives affecting global football. He stated that all impactful proposals must undergo timely and meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders, reflecting a commitment to proper governance in the sport.
What remains unclear — It is not specified what measures FIFA will implement to ensure proper consultation moving forward.
AFC calls for transparency after FIFA drops investment plan for World Cup
Sport|World CupFIFA World Cup plan fallout: AFC reacts as Infantino scraps investment push
Asian Football Confederation says FIFA future must be ‘shaped through proper consultation’ after World Cup plan fallout.
Published On 1 Aug 20261 Aug 2026
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has welcomed FIFA’s decision to walk back plans to sell a stake in the World Cup and stressed the need to discuss all such moves with transparency in the future.
FIFA’s plan was to raise up to $4.2bn by selling about a 20 percent stake to private investors in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup.
The proposal, first announced on Tuesday, had faced a storm of opposition from regional confederations, including the AFC, which said they were blindsided by the announcement.
Following the backlash, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said world football’s governing body had scrapped the plans after listening “carefully to all the views”.
In a letter posted on the AFC’s website on Saturday, Sheikh Salman said he expects “any initiative that has the potential to impact global football will be presented and discussed with the Confederations, the FIFA Council, Member Associations and other stakeholders in a timely, transparent and meaningful manner”.
“The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game,” he said.
On Thursday, Sheikh Salman, in a letter to member associations, had said the way the FIFA proposal had been made was “totally unacceptable“.
The Kuala Lumpur-based AFC is one of FIFA’s six confederations and is responsible for running regional club and national team competitions across continental Asia, the Middle East and Australia.
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