- BIST10011,676-1.03%
- USD49.58+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.09%
- GOLD4,153.60+0.27%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN83,676+0.89%
- October 21, 202612°
- BIST10011,676-1.03%
- USD49.58+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.09%
- GOLD4,153.60+0.27%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN83,676+0.89%
- October 21, 202612°
UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC call for probe into FIFA plan linked to Trump family
UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC officials issued a joint letter on Monday opposing FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in FIFA competitions. The federations criticized the proposal for being brought forward within a short period without sufficient consultation and called for an independent, comprehensive investigation.
FIFA’s plan to sell its stake in the World Cup and other competitions to outside investors has drawn a joint response from UEFA, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The heads of the three federations called for an independent investigation in letters sent to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The letter, published on Monday and signed by the federation presidents and general secretaries, stated that football belongs to no individual or institution. Players, fans, clubs and member federations were listed as parts of football’s shared value.
Call for an independent investigation into the stake sale plan
The federations criticized the proposal to sell a stake in FIFA competitions for being presented within a short period and without sufficient consultation with member federations. The letter argued that this approach reflected more than a failure of communication or procedure and pointed to a serious failure of judgment.
The attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup was described as “a grave error of judgment” and a step that seriously damaged trust. The federations called for the investigation to be conducted by an independent panel rather than FIFA or its employees, and demanded that all documents and records related to the case be preserved.
Call for collective governance of football decisions
The joint letter stated that football’s development over the past 10 years had been achieved through work carried out jointly by FIFA, the continental confederations and national federations. It emphasized that major decisions, including the expansion of tournaments, World Cup hosting and the distribution of resources, should be made collectively.
The three federations also criticized the absence of FIFA Council members and representatives of member federations from a leadership meeting held in Morocco with the participation of only a limited number of FIFA officials. They said this raised concerns about transparency and accountability in FIFA’s governance.
Pressure over Infantino’s presidency
Following a crisis meeting held in Morocco on August 5, FIFA apologized to its 211 member federations and announced that it had abandoned the stake-sale proposal. The development increased questions over whether Infantino would seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress scheduled to take place in Morocco next March.
Infantino is facing growing pressure over his future as FIFA president after the proposal to sell stakes in the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments was shelved.
FIFA had previously planned to sell stakes in 20 percent of its competitions, including the World Cup, to private-sector investors and raise approximately $4.2 billion for football development. The plan also sparked controversy because a company described as being linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s family was involved in the process.
UEFA said it no longer had confidence in Infantino, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) continued to support him. The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), meanwhile, opposed removing Infantino from office without a vote by all FIFA member federations.
The letter concluded by reiterating that football governance is not a matter of private ownership. It said the FIFA presidency carries a responsibility to serve the football family and called for football’s unity to be protected and its governance to be conducted in the common interest.
Stay Updated with Ally Daily
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
