AFC joins UEFA and Concacaf in rejecting World Cup investment plan

By Sanjay Menon — 31 July 2026 — 3 min read

Confederations reject investment proposal

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA‘s proposed investment plan, which involves establishing FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). This new commercial subsidiary would sell a minority stake in FIFA‘s commercial rights to private investors. The AFC stated that confidence in FIFA‘s governance has been “undermined” by the proposal.

UEFA had previously rejected the proposal unanimously, with its 55 member associations warning that none of its national teams would participate in FIFA competitions “for so long as these proposals remain alive.” UEFA described the World Cup as a sporting legacy that should not be treated as an investment product or surrendered to private investors. This position extends to both men’s and women’s World Cups.

The vice-president of UEFA, Laura McAllister, called the proposal “catastrophic” and accused FIFA of using “a form of blackmail financially” through funding offered to member associations supporting the initiative. A senior adviser to FIFA, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned, stating his unequivocal opposition to the proposal, calling it “a bad deal for football.”

Implications for the 2030 World Cup

The dispute has significant implications for the 2030 World Cup, which is primarily scheduled to be hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. If UEFA proceeds with its boycott, Spain and Portugal could be absent from the tournament despite being co-hosts. This would be an unprecedented situation where principal host nations do not participate due to a dispute between governing bodies rather than qualification issues.

The 2030 World Cup is also set to feature one centenary match each in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to mark the 100th anniversary of the inaugural FIFA World Cup, making it the first edition to span multiple continents. The positions of Morocco, CAF, and CONMEBOL regarding FIFA‘s investment proposal remain unclear. CAF initially indicated openness to consultation, while Morocco has not publicly stated its stance. CONMEBOL has not taken an official position, though its president, Alejandro Domínguez, has previously supported expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams.

FIFA maintains that the proposal is part of an ongoing consultation process and can still be approved, amended, or rejected by member associations. The organisation insists that “nobody is selling football” and that the World Cup is not being privatised. FIFA also stated that if a majority does not support the plan, its commercial operations will remain unchanged, and FIFA Forward Enterprise will not be established.

Potential expansion to 64 teams

Alongside the investment proposal, FIFA is also accelerating plans to potentially expand the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament. FIFA has opened a tender for research companies to assess the economic benefits of this expansion, with a four-week period allocated for analysis. The analysis is expected to be delivered by September 11, suggesting a decision could be made this year.

This potential expansion has raised further questions about FIFA‘s governance, especially as member associations were reportedly not informed about the tender before it was issued. UEFA and Concacaf have voiced opposition to further expansion. The AFC president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, has warned that another increase could create “chaos,” while Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has questioned its benefits for the wider football ecosystem.

The study for the expansion will examine the impact on tournament revenue and the football ecosystem, as well as stakeholder support or resistance, player welfare, product quality, and the international calendar. Should both the investment plan and the expansion be approved, the 2030 World Cup would see a significantly larger tournament potentially without many of the sport’s most successful national teams.

With more than 100 national associations now represented by confederations that have publicly rejected the investment proposal, the debate extends beyond a commercial restructuring plan. FIFA insists that “everyone has the right to express their opposition” but that “no single entity can claim to represent all 211 Member Associations around the world.”

The political uncertainty continues as FIFA‘s consultation process for the FFE proposal remains open.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com