The football crisis surrounding Fifa President Gianni Infantino has intensified, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Uefa and Concacaf holding preliminary discussions about organising alternative competitions if their dispute with Fifa leadership escalates, sources familiar with the matter told Geo News.
The discussions are aimed at ensuring that national teams and players continue to have meaningful international competition and are not adversely affected by the ongoing dispute.
However, the talks remain at an early stage, and no decision has been taken to establish a separate competition structure. Any future proposal would also need to comply with Fifa’s statutes and governance framework, according to sources.
Confederations demand independent Fifa probe
The development came hours after the presidents and general secretaries of the AFC, Uefa and Concacaf issued a strongly worded joint letter accusing Fifa leadership of a “fundamental breach of trust” over a proposal to sell an interest in the commercial rights of the Fifa World Cup.
The three confederations called for a fully independent third-party investigation and demanded that Fifa’s administration have no role in reviewing the matter.
Sources said the confederations have begun discussing the possibility of organising competitions among their members to provide an alternative pathway for international football if the current confrontation worsens.
The immediate objective is not to replace the Fifa World Cup or other established tournaments, but to ensure that national teams and players continue to have opportunities to play meaningful international fixtures.
Dispute centres on World Cup commercial rights
The dispute revolves around Fifa Forward Enterprise, a proposed commercial structure that would have involved the commercial rights of Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.
The proposal faced strong opposition from several confederations over concerns about governance, consultation and the possibility of private investors acquiring an interest in World Cup-related commercial rights.
Although Fifa later abandoned the proposal, the joint letter from the AFC, Uefa and Concacaf indicates that the three confederations believe the underlying governance concerns remain unresolved.
The confederations said Fifa’s description of the episode as a communication failure did not adequately address what they viewed as a serious failure of judgment.
They also alleged that the proposal had been pursued on a compressed timeline without meaningful consultation with the regional confederations.
Pressure grows on Gianni Infantino
The three confederations have not publicly called for Infantino’s resignation. However, sources familiar with their position said the Fifa president was being given an opportunity to leave office with dignity and should not seek another term in the March election.
The sources stressed that all possible options remain under consideration, but any action would be taken within Fifa’s governance framework and statutes.
Infantino has faced increasing pressure since the collapse of the World Cup investment proposal, which exposed growing tensions between Fifa’s leadership and several regional confederations.
Pakistan’s Fifa ASEAN Cup participation
The developing dispute could also have implications for Pakistan’s participation in next month’s Fifa ASEAN Cup.
However, there is currently no indication that Pakistan or other AFC member associations have been asked to withdraw from Fifa competitions. Discussions over alternative tournaments remain preliminary.
The AFC, Uefa and Concacaf collectively represent a significant portion of the world’s leading football nations and competitions. If their discussions eventually develop into a formal alternative competition structure, it could pose one of the most serious challenges to Fifa’s central role in international football in decades.
