Here is why African countries might be the only ones to play future World Cup tournaments as the FIFA conflict intensifies,
FIFA is facing one of the biggest governance crises in its history after a controversial proposal backed by president Gianni Infantino triggered widespread opposition from several of world football’s governing bodies.
At the centre of the dispute is a reported plan to create a new commercial entity that would manage FIFA’s most valuable business assets, including the FIFA World Cup, before selling a minority stake to private investors.
FIFA believes the move would unlock billions of dollars in fresh investment and create new revenue streams for the global game. However, critics argue that football’s biggest competition should remain fully under the control of its member associations rather than outside investors.
The proposal has sparked a sharp divide across football.
UEFA was the first major confederation to publicly oppose the plan, with European football chiefs arguing that FIFA failed to properly consult stakeholders before pushing ahead with such a significant decision. Reports have suggested UEFA is prepared to boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal is approved in its current form.
The resistance quickly spread beyond Europe. CONCACAF, which governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the proposal, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) raised concerns over both the governance process and the long-term implications for the sport.
The crisis deepened further with the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino’s senior advisers and a former president of the United States Soccer Federation. Cordeiro publicly distanced himself from the proposal, saying he had no involvement in its development, making him the highest-profile figure to leave FIFA’s inner circle since the controversy began.
His resignation has intensified pressure on Infantino, who is now facing growing criticism from some of football’s most influential administrators.
So far, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not publicly joined the opposition. CAF president Patrice Motsepe is widely regarded as one of Infantino’s closest allies, and African member associations have yet to indicate that they will support any proposed boycott of FIFA competitions.
South America’s governing body, CONMEBOL, has also not announced a collective position against the proposal, although discussions among its member associations are ongoing.
The disagreement has gone beyond commercial matters and evolved into a broader debate about FIFA’s governance, transparency and decision-making. Opponents argue that a proposal capable of changing the ownership structure of football’s biggest commercial assets should only proceed after extensive consultation with all six continental confederations.
For now, FIFA has not withdrawn the proposal, while the opposing confederations have maintained their objections. With resignations, boycott threats and divisions between football’s governing bodies continuing to dominate headlines, the coming weeks could prove decisive for the future of FIFA and the governance of the world’s most popular sport.