FIFA World Cup plan fallout: AFC reacts as Infantino scraps investment push

What the report says

The Asian Football Confederation has responded to FIFA’s decision to abandon a proposed outside investment plan tied to the World Cup, saying major changes to global football should be handled through proper consultation. In a statement posted on its website, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed FIFA’s retreat while pressing for more transparent discussion with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders in future decisions.

According to the Reuters report published by Al Jazeera on 1 August 2026, FIFA had been considering a plan to sell about a 20 percent stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup, with the goal of raising up to $4.2bn from private investors. The proposal drew strong criticism from regional bodies, including the AFC, which said it had not been properly consulted before the announcement.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino later said the governing body scrapped the idea after listening carefully to the concerns raised. Sheikh Salman said any initiative affecting world football should be discussed in a timely, meaningful and transparent way, and that the sport’s future must be shaped through collective dialogue and respect for existing governance structures.

The AFC, based in Kuala Lumpur, is one of FIFA’s six regional confederations and oversees competitions across Asia, the Middle East and Australia. The dispute matters because it highlights tensions over how FIFA makes commercial and structural decisions, especially those with potential financial and governance consequences for the global game.