Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw its proposal to establish a new company to manage the commercial rights for its tournaments, following a wave of objections from several continental federations.
In recent days, FIFA had proposed a project to create a new entity to manage the commercial rights of its tournaments, while opening the door to foreign investments, before deciding to withdraw the proposal following escalating criticism and rejection from within the football family.
The Asian Football Confederation president, in official statements, stressed the importance of discussing any initiatives affecting the future of global football at an early stage with the continental confederations, the FIFA Council, and national associations, as well as all relevant stakeholders, to ensure transparency and participation in decision-making.
Salman bin Ibrahim said: “The future of global football must always be shaped through constructive dialogue, collective consultation, and respect for the established governance system within the game”.
He added that the Asian Football Confederation will continue to support any initiative that contributes to strengthening the unity of the football family and drives the development of the game at the global level, in a way that serves the interests of all parties.
The AFC President praised the unified stance of the member national associations, stressing that it gave the federation the confidence to request clarifications on the project, given its importance to the future of global football governance.
He concluded his remarks by thanking the member associations for their solidarity and cooperation during the crisis. He also affirmed that the Asian Football Confederation will continue to defend their interests and work to uphold the principles of transparency and consultation on all matters concerning the future of the game.
