Asian confederation joins Uefa and Concacaf in opposing Fifa plan

Fifa president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors appears to be in jeopardy, with a third confederation expressing opposition.In a statement published on Friday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it "stands in solidarity" with its counterparts in Europe and North, Central America and the Caribbean.The AFC added Infantino's plan could not "realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward"."The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations," it said."Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."The AFC's statement means Infantino's plans are unlikely to be approved by Fifa members if put to a vote.Infantino had indicated the proposals would need a straight majority to go through - meaning 106 of its 211 members to vote in favour for the proposal.Uefa - the body that governs European football - has 55 votes. Concacaf, which oversees football in North, Central America and the Caribbean, has 35 and Asia has 46.Asian football's governing body accused Fifa of once again setting the "direction of travel" for a "significant initiative" before consulting stakeholders.It said Fifa's failure to consult its member associations on the proposals had "exposed fundamental weaknesses in Fifa's consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed".The AFC also criticised Fifa for leaving "confederations, member associations and even Fifa's own governing bodies, including the Fifa Council, feeling sidelined."The Fifa World Cup, and the game itself, belong to the entire global football family," it added.Their future must always be shaped collectively, through institutions that reflect the voices of all Confederations and member associations."The AFC calls upon Fifa to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework to ensure that proposals of global significance are developed through proper consultation, meaningful engagement and appropriate oversight by Fifa's statutory bodies."On Thursday, Uefa voted to boycott World Cups if the Fifa plan proceeded.Hours later, Concacaf, which hosted this year's World Cup, released a statement also rejecting the proposals made by Infantino.In response, Fifa released a statement early on Friday vowing to continue with the plan - but added "nobody is selling football".The governing body of world football claimed the consultation process had been "disrupted by incorrect media reports".It claims this will "not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of Fifa or football itself".However, Uefa has accused Fifa of using football "to enrich themselves and their friends", while Concacaf and AFC have both expressed concerns about consultation over the plans."The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product," Uefa's statement on Thursday read."It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent."No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.The governing body overseeing football in South America, Conmebol, is yet to publicly comment on the proposals. The governing bodies in Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) have said they will discuss Fifa's plan in August.Fifa and Infantino want to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, and external investors will be able to buy stakes in it.It said it would "invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments" in a new subsidiary - Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).In a 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan, it is made clear that Fifa's tournaments will expand to hit an estimated increased pay-out of 24m euros per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.It mentions "new business initiatives" and "attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation".The World Cup is described in it as the "most widely viewed" sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is said to be "under-monetised".There is no mention in the document of the women's game.If approval is granted, Fifa says Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared.