AFC and Qatar Football Association clash over FIFA criticism

A dispute has emerged between the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Qatar Football Association (QFA) following a joint statement by several continental confederations criticizing FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

The conflict began after Infantino proposed the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), a for-profit company intended to manage FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, by selling stakes to raise up to $4.2 billion. The AFC, alongside UEFA and CONCACAF, issued a statement declaring that ‘football is not the property of any individual’, leading to the abandonment of the proposal.

In response, QFA President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani sent a letter to the AFC protesting that Qatar had not been consulted and questioning the AFC's authority to speak for its 47 member associations. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa rejected these claims, stating he has the mandate and responsibility to act decisively to protect the interests of Asian football. Salman argued that remaining silent on matters of fundamental importance would be inconsistent with his presidential duties.