AFC joins Uefa and Concacaf in opposing Fifa’s proposal to sell competition stakes

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has declared it "stands in solidarity" with Uefa and Concacaf in opposing Fifa's proposal to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors. The statement places the AFC alongside two other continental governing bodies in formal disagreement with the plan.

The AFC is the governing body for football across Asia and its intervention adds another voice to the dispute over Fifa's commercial proposal. Uefa and Concacaf, the European and North American confederations respectively, are already on record opposing the same initiative. The matter centres on Fifa’s suggestion to transfer ownership interests in its tournaments to outside investors, a move that has drawn institutional resistance from multiple confederations.

In its announcement the AFC said it "stands in solidarity" with Uefa and Concacaf, using those exact words to describe its position. That phrase underlines the confederation’s alignment with the other regional organisations in rejecting the proposed deal structure. The AFC did not alter the core description of the proposal, which remains the sale of stakes in Fifa competitions to private entities.

Uefa and Concacaf have also communicated opposition to the proposal, and the AFC’s statement reiterates a shared stance among the three bodies. Each organisation has framed its response around the same underlying issue: whether Fifa should proceed with selling ownership interests in its events. The language used by the AFC mirrors the collective resistance expressed by the other confederations.

The disagreement concerns Fifa’s broader commercial strategy and the role of private investors in the governance of major competitions. The AFC’s declaration contributes to a growing list of institutional objections that highlight continental unease with the proposal. None of the confederations altered the factual description of the plan, which is defined as selling stakes in competitions to private investors.

The AFC’s public alignment with Uefa and Concacaf means three regional governing bodies are formally opposed to the same Fifa proposal. That shared position underscores a coordinated rejection of the suggested sale of competition stakes to private investors.