Qatar challenges AFC over open letter attacking FIFA President Infantino

A growing rift within Asian ‌‌football over the future of FIFA has burst into the open, with Qatar challenging ⁠⁠the Asian Football ⁠⁠Confederation over its decision to join UEFA and CONCACAF in a sweeping attack on embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Qatar Football Association President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani wrote ⁠⁠in a letter to AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa that neither he nor the QFA had been consulted before the three confederations issued an open letter on Monday ⁠⁠purporting to speak collectively for their members. Infantino, who is seeking re-election next year, has faced open revolt after UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF attacked his conduct and called for him to quit over his aborted bid to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.

He asked the AFC to explain what consultation there had been and on what basis it considered itself authorised to speak collectively for its 47 member associations. The intervention exposes divisions within the AFC at ⁠⁠a critical moment in the battle over Infantino’s leadership. In his letter ⁠⁠to the AFC president, Al-Thani said, “neither the QFA, nor I personally … was consulted, whether formally or informally, prior to the issuance of the statement.

Four of the six signatories – Al-Thani, the head of Egypt’s football federation, Hany Abo Rida, Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa and Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya – are also FIFA Council members. Infantino proposed carving off the commercial rights to the World Cup and selling 20% to private investors to raise about $4.2bn before his U-turn following the furore.