UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF accuse Infantino of ‘deception’ over World Cup stake sale

Three of football's most powerful confederations launched their sharpest attack yet on FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday, accusing him of breaking trust "through deception" and calling for an independent investigation into his handling of a now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights.

Open Letter Demands Accountability

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF issued a joint open letter to the "football family" that stopped just short of calling for Infantino's resignation. The letter, signed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, CONCACAF's Victor Montagliani, and the AFC's Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, described the FIFA president's conduct as "a profound failure of judgment" and accused him of behaving like someone "who believes the game is answerable to him."reuters+1

The three organizations, which together represent 143 of FIFA's 211 member associations, rejected FIFA's own characterization of the episode as a communication failure. "A proposal advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed toward a deadline before member associations could properly review its terms is not the product of an oversight — it is the product of a design intended to limit scrutiny," the letter read.espn

Infantino had proposed carving off 20 percent of the World Cup's commercial rights and selling them to private investors to raise approximately $4.2 billion before withdrawing the plan amid fierce opposition.channelnewsasia

Boycott Threats and New Competition Talks

The confederations have threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, with UEFA confirming last week the threat remains in place while Infantino holds office. According to a report in Yahoo Sports, citing The Daily Telegraph, UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have begun preliminary discussions about organizing competitions among themselves should they follow through on a FIFA boycott.sports.yahoo+1

The letter also took aim at a FIFA management committee meeting held in Morocco last week, noting that only one elected official was present and that no FIFA Council members or member associations were invited. FIFA emerged from that meeting with a statement backing Infantino.channelnewsasia

A Divided Football World

The crisis has exposed deep divisions across global football. Africa's confederation CAF has backed Infantino unanimously, and several national associations including Argentina, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Bolivia have expressed support for the FIFA president. Almost 70 of FIFA's 211 member associations have publicly said they will vote for Infantino, while around a dozen have withdrawn previously promised support.rediff+1

On Friday, Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness called on Infantino to step down immediately. FIFA responded over the weekend by warning against what it called "a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its president."channelnewsasia+2

The open letter concluded: "Football's strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it."reuters