On Saturday, August 1, 2026, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa welcomed FIFA's decision to abandon its controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup. The proposal, initially announced on Tuesday, aimed to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20% stake to private investors in a new entity that would manage FIFA events, including the World Cup.

The announcement faced strong opposition from regional confederations, including the AFC, which said they were blindsided by the move. Following the backlash, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the governing body had scrapped the plans after listening "carefully to all the views."

In a letter posted on the AFC's website, Sheikh Salman stressed the importance of transparency and consultation in future decisions. He said he expects "any initiative that has the potential to impact global football will be presented and discussed with the Confederations, the FIFA Council, Member Associations and other stakeholders in a timely, transparent and meaningful manner."

He further emphasized that "the future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game."

Earlier, on Thursday, Sheikh Salman had described the manner in which the FIFA proposal was made as "totally unacceptable" in a letter to member associations.

The Kuala Lumpur-based AFC is one of FIFA's six confederations, overseeing regional club and national team competitions across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.

Sources