Major football confederations accuse FIFA leadership of ‘breach of trust’

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) on Monday accused FIFA leadership of a “fundamental breach of trust” over its handling of a proposal to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights.

In a joint statement, the three confederations said the dispute was ultimately about “the integrity of the game” and called for greater accountability from FIFA leadership.

“Football is the world’s greatest shared passion. It belongs to no individual and no institution,” they said, adding that the sport belongs to players, fans, clubs, member associations and institutions entrusted with protecting its future.

The statement said FIFA’s recent letter to its vice presidents and 211 member associations acknowledged mistakes in the process but characterized them as a communication failure.

The confederations argued that the issue went beyond communication, saying the proposal was advanced on a compressed timeline without meaningful consultation and with a deadline that limited member associations’ ability to properly examine its terms.

They also said FIFA had failed to acknowledge that the proposal itself was fundamentally flawed, describing the attempt to sell an interest in the World Cup as a serious failure of judgment and a breach of trust with the institutions FIFA is meant to serve.