The crisis surrounding FIFA President Gianni Infantino has escalated dramatically, with three of world football’s major confederations — the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), UEFA and CONCACAF — holding preliminary discussions about organising their own competitions if the dispute with FIFA intensifies.
The development marks one of the most serious challenges to FIFA’s authority in recent decades and raises the prospect of a major split within international football.
Sources said the initial discussions are aimed at ensuring national teams and players continue to have opportunities to compete internationally if the ongoing dispute disrupts the existing football calendar.
However, no final decision has been taken to establish separate competitions. Any such move would also have to be considered within FIFA’s existing governance framework and regulations.
The talks came just hours after the presidents and general secretaries of AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF issued a strongly worded joint open letter criticising FIFA leadership and demanding an independent external review of the controversy surrounding the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
The three confederations accused FIFA of a fundamental breach of trust over the proposal, which involved restructuring FIFA’s commercial and event operations and attracting private investment linked to the commercial rights of FIFA competitions.
FIFA had proposed creating FIFA Forward Enterprise as a FIFA-owned subsidiary to consolidate commercial rights and tournament operations. The organisation said the plan was intended to unlock additional commercial value and increase development funding for its 211 member associations.
Under FIFA’s proposal, development funding for each member association was projected to rise from $8 million during the 2023-26 cycle to $20 million for 2027-30, with a further optional $20 million potentially available under the proposed Fast Forward programme.
The plan, however, triggered strong opposition from several confederations, which questioned the consultation process, governance arrangements and the potential involvement of private investors in the commercialisation of World Cup-related assets.
FIFA subsequently withdrew the FFE proposal, acknowledging that the project had created divisions within the football community.
Despite the withdrawal, the dispute has continued, with AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF maintaining that deeper governance issues remain unresolved.
The three confederations have also called for a change in FIFA leadership, increasing pressure on Infantino ahead of the next presidential election. Infantino had already announced earlier this year that he intends to seek another term as FIFA president in 2027.
The crisis could also have implications for Pakistan football because the country is an AFC member. Sources said there is currently no indication that Pakistan or other AFC members have been asked to withdraw from FIFA competitions.
The immediate objective of the alternative-competition discussions is reportedly not to replace the FIFA World Cup or other existing major tournaments, but to ensure that international football opportunities remain available should the dispute develop into a wider institutional confrontation.
If the talks eventually lead to formal competitions outside the existing FIFA structure, the move could trigger the biggest institutional crisis in international football for decades, potentially affecting tournament calendars, national teams, commercial rights and the governance of the global game.