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Asian football confederation joins UEFA, CONCACAF in opposing FIFA investment plan

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Asian football confederation joins UEFA, CONCACAF in opposing FIFA investment plan

 
The ‌Asian Football Confederation has become the third body to oppose FIFA’s plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. 
 
In a lengthy statement released on Friday, the confederation, which represents 47 member associations, said it had “serious concerns” over Fifa’s proposal to introduce private investment into its flagship competitions.
 
Infantino’s proposed US$20 billion commercial subsidiary for Fifa events, backed by New York-based investor Joshua Kushner, “cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward” and must be reconsidered, the AFC said in a statement.
 
“Accordingly, the AFC calls upon Fifa to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework,” the AFC said.
 
On Thursday, Uefa voted unanimously to boycott all ‌Fifa tournaments, while Concacaf, the regional federation for ‌North America, Central America and the Caribbean, rejected the proposal.
 
“In light of the ‌clear positions expressed by Uefa and Concacaf, ‌as well as the unprecedented divisions ‌that have emerged across the football world, the AFC believes that the proposed FFE [Fifa Forward Enterprise] cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad ‌consensus and ‌unity required to move forward,” the AFC added.
 
Earlier on Friday, the world governing body had doubled down on its plans and said “incorrect media reports” this week had disrupted its planned consultation process, but that it would press on with putting the controversial proposal in front of its 211 national football member associations.
 
“We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA [member association] has the ability to express its vote based on facts,” it ‌said. 
 
It also denied that it was “selling football”, which was not something it “would ever entertain”.
 
However, it acknowledged the concerns and feedback “aired in public” and that without the support of Fifa’s 211 member associations its “commercial activities would remain unchanged. FFE would not be established”.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖

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