FIFA: UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF open a new front against Infantino

The crisis between FIFA and several of its leading confederations has reached a new level. UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF issued a joint statement on Monday, August 10, taking a hard line against Gianni Infantino, denouncing a breakdown of trust linked to the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which notably included the sale of commercial interests related to the World Cup.

Signed by Aleksander Čeferin for UEFA, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa for the AFC and Victor Montagliani for CONCACAF, the statement goes far beyond a simple disagreement over a financial operation.

The three leaders believe the issue now concerns the very integrity of global football governance. They criticize FIFA for presenting the project on extremely short notice, without sufficient consultation with the confederations and member associations.

The text even refers to trust "broken by deception," implicitly accusing FIFA's leadership of favoring an individual approach over the organization's collective functioning.

This stance comes as the plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights was ultimately abandoned in the face of growing opposition.

The confederations refuse to let FIFA investigate alone

UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF also challenge FIFA's response following the controversy. The organization acknowledged mistakes in the process and announced a report to be submitted to the FIFA Council.

For the three confederations, this is not enough. They are demanding a review led by a fully independent third party, arguing that FIFA cannot be both judge and jury in examining a decision made by its own administration.

Another point of concern: a meeting held in Morocco, attended by very few elected officials. The confederations argue this episode further fuels their doubts about FIFA's transparency and governance.

A united front that weakens Infantino

Beyond the financial project, this statement above all exposes a deep political rift at the top of world football. The three confederations emphasize that the major advances of the past decade — the development of competitions, the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, and the redistribution of resources — are the result of collective work and cannot be credited to a single leader.

The message to Infantino is crystal clear: world football must be governed by consensus, transparency, and collective responsibility.

The crisis is all the more acute given that the FIFA Forward Enterprise project had already sparked fierce opposition before being withdrawn.

By publicly displaying their unity, UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF have now placed FIFA’s governance squarely at the center of the debate. This showdown could have a lasting impact on Infantino’s presidency and the balance of power within international football.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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