Fifa ‘undermining the very foundations of football’, says AFC as Uefa talks loom

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has accused FIFA of undermining the foundations of football by failing to consult regional confederations regarding a proposal to sell tournament stakes to private investors. The criticism comes as UEFA prepares to hold an emergency meeting of its 55 member associations on Thursday to discuss a coordinated response to the FIFA plan, which could potentially include a World Cup boycott.

The conflict centers on FIFA's controversial initiative to sell equity stakes in the World Cup to private financial interests. The AFC stated that FIFA proceeded with these plans without proper consultation, threatening the traditional governance and structure of the sport.

As European and Asian football bodies organize their opposition, the Asian Football Confederation may ultimately hold the balance of power in the dispute. Thursday's emergency talks are expected to determine the next steps for UEFA and its members in challenging FIFA's proposed commercial overhaul of the global tournament.