Football confederations call for leadership change amid concerns over integrity

By Rohan Gupta — 10 August 2026 — 3 min read

Confederations express concerns over leadership

Three major football confederations, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), have collectively issued an open letter to the global football community. The letter calls for leadership that prioritizes the sport’s integrity and serves its stakeholders, rather than seeking to command it. This joint statement follows concerns regarding a proposal, the Football Forward Enterprise scheme, which was reportedly launched without sufficient consultation.

The confederations have accused the current leadership of a “profound failure of judgment” and a “fundamental breach of trust” with the institutions FIFA is intended to serve. They argue that the proposal to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was inherently flawed, not merely a procedural error. The letter emphasizes that football’s growth over the past decade has been a collective effort, involving FIFA, the confederations, and member associations, and not the work of a single individual.

The open letter was signed by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, along with their respective General Secretaries. The communication highlights that decisions such as expanded tournaments and the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups were shared achievements, agreed and delivered together.

Call for independent review and accountability

The confederations have criticized FIFA‘s response to the situation, noting that FIFA‘s own letter to its Vice-Presidents and 211 Member Associations acknowledged mistakes but framed them as a communication failure rather than a judgment failure. They contend that a proposal advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation and pushed towards a deadline, indicates a design intended to limit scrutiny.

Furthermore, the letter calls for an independent third-party review of these events, rather than a review conducted by FIFA itself or its staff. This stance is based on the belief that proper governance in the face of such a profound lack of judgment requires external oversight. The confederations also pointed out that a recent leadership meeting in Morocco included only one elected official and a select number of FIFA-employed senior staff, reinforcing concerns about transparency and accountability.

The letter stresses that leadership in football is a duty of service, not a possession of power. It states that when trust is broken through deception and an individual places themselves above the collective, that duty has been abandoned. The confederations have also addressed fears that member associations might lose financial support, stating that this initiative is not about diminishing the support earned by any member association.

Discussions on future competitions and leadership

Amidst these developments, the three confederations are understood to have initiated preliminary discussions regarding the organization of new competitions. This comes as UEFA has reportedly made repeated threats to boycott FIFA events. One immediate concern is the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup, which could potentially proceed without the participation of European teams, leading to a search for alternative solutions.

Efforts to find a suitable candidate to replace the current FIFA president have reportedly intensified since details of the Football Forward Enterprise scheme emerged. Victor Montagliani is believed to be among the leading contenders for the position. Candidates for the FIFA election must announce their bids by 18 November.

While the open letter reflects the unified stance of UEFA, AFC, and Concacaf, the situation within individual member associations is reportedly more complex. Few outside Europe have publicly opposed the current FIFA president, and only a small number have withdrawn their letters of support for his re-election. Additionally, the African and South American confederations, CAF and Conmebol, have reportedly expressed support for the current leadership in recent days. Several larger member associations are understood to have requested a meeting with the FIFA president to discuss the FFE scheme, but have not yet received a response.

Source: uefa.com