The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has renewed its objections to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over a joint letter criticising FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
QFA President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani questioned whether AFC members were consulted before the organisation signed the statement. The dispute has exposed growing tensions within Asian football leadership.
The joint letter was signed by the AFC, UEFA and CONCACAF. It criticised Infantino’s conduct surrounding an unsuccessful proposal to introduce private investment into the World Cup.
Infantino is also seeking another term as FIFA president next year. The controversy has therefore intensified scrutiny of his leadership.
Qatar Questions AFC Consultation Process
Al-Thani raised his concerns in a third letter exchanged between the senior football officials. The correspondence has brought an unusual internal disagreement into the public domain.
He said the AFC’s response to his earlier complaint failed to answer the central question. According to Al-Thani, the organisation did not consult its members before issuing the statement.
“The AFC reply amounts to an admission that no consultation took place, whether with the AFC executive committee, with individual member associations, or otherwise, prior to the statement being issued in their name,” Al-Thani wrote in Wednesday’s letter.
He argued that discussions about the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal did not address the consultation issue.
“However extensively the AFC reply addresses the substance of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, FIFA’s own conduct, or the history of AFC’s public statements, none of that bears on the narrow and unanswered question of whether AFC’s membership was consulted before the statement was issued in their name.
“It was not.”
Dispute Linked to FIFA Investment Proposal
One of the major criticisms against Infantino concerns his FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. The proposal reportedly emerged without prior consultation with the football confederations.
It was then presented directly to FIFA’s 211 member associations. The lack of consultation became a significant point of contention during the dispute.
Qatar was among six AFC members that publicly supported Infantino after the controversy emerged. Al-Thani has remained among those backing the FIFA president.
However, his latest correspondence focuses specifically on the AFC’s decision to sign the joint statement. He argues that the organisation needed approval from its membership before speaking collectively.
AFC President Rejects Qatar’s Claims
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa strongly rejected the QFA’s earlier allegations. In his response, the Bahraini administrator defended his authority to sign the joint statement.
He said he had the responsibility to protect the interests of Asian football. He also criticised Qatar’s focus on procedural issues instead of what he described as the broader interests of the sport.
Al-Thani, however, maintained his position in the latest response. He argued that Sheikh Salman could not speak for all 47 AFC member associations without their authorisation.
He also said the AFC president’s authority was determined by the AFC executive committee.
Al-Thani serves on that committee as a member of the FIFA Council. This position gives him a direct role within the AFC’s executive structure.
Qatar Defends Its Position on 2022 World Cup
Sheikh Salman had previously highlighted statements made by AFC leaders in support of Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup.
Those statements were issued while Qatar faced significant international pressure surrounding its tournament bid. Sheikh Salman cited them as examples of AFC presidents speaking publicly on major issues affecting Asian football.
Al-Thani offered a different interpretation of those previous statements.
“To the extent any statements were made in the past and in support of the (2022) World Cup, they were made in reflection of AFC’s own institutional interest, as an organisation, in the successful staging of a World Cup in Asia,” Al-Thani added.
He therefore maintained that those examples did not establish authority to represent all AFC members on the current dispute.
Unusual Public Dispute Within AFC
The public exchange is unusual for the AFC, which generally handles internal disagreements away from public attention.
The dispute has now placed questions about consultation and institutional authority at the centre of the disagreement. It also highlights divisions over how Asian football should respond to major FIFA decisions.
Al-Thani concluded his latest letter by maintaining that the AFC had not adequately addressed Qatar’s concerns.
“The AFC reply, unfortunately, cannot be characterized as a satisfying response to QFA’s legitimate and important questions,” he concluded.
The exchange comes at a sensitive time for Infantino as he prepares for a potential reelection campaign. Meanwhile, the disagreement between Qatar and the AFC leadership could continue to draw attention as football’s governing bodies debate their respective roles and responsibilities.
