The European Football Union (UEFA), the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF), and the Asian Football Confederation have accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of "deception" and a "material breach of trust" regarding his handling of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup. The three continental federations issued a joint statement and an open letter on Monday, criticizing Mr. Infantino. They stated, "هذا ليس سلوك الجهة المؤتمنة على اللعبة، بل سلوك شخص يعتقد أن اللعبة خاضعة له." The federations added that the attempt to sell a World Cup stake "كان فشلًا عميقًا في التقدير، وليس مجرد خطأ إجرائي، بل خرقًا جوهريًا للثقة مع المؤسسات التي يوجد فيفا أصلًا لخدمتها." They concluded that the situation "ليس نتيجة سهو، بل نتيجة تصميم يهدف إلى الحد من التدقيق."
Federations Detail Breach of Trust
The federations consider the process a "profound failure of judgment," asserting that the issue concerns "the integrity of the game, and the integrity of the individuals elected to lead it." They accused FIFA President جياني انفانتينو (Gianni Infantino) of acting like someone who "believes the game is his to own." The letter states that leadership in football is a duty to serve the football family, not about ownership or holding power for its own sake. When trust is violated through deception, and an individual places themselves above the group that granted them authority, that duty has been abandoned, according to the federations.
The proposal was presented within a tight timeframe without genuine consultation and pushed towards a deadline before member associations could properly review its terms. This was described "ليس نتيجة سهو، بل نتيجة تصميم يهدف إلى الحد من التدقيق" ("not an oversight, but a result of design intended to limit scrutiny"). The federations stated, "لا يزال هناك غياب لأي اعتراف بأن محاولة بيع حصة في كأس العالم كانت فشلًا عميقًا في التقدير، وليس مجرد خطأ إجرائي، بل خرقًا جوهريًا للثقة مع المؤسسات التي يوجد فيفا أصلًا لخدمتها." They concluded, "هذا ليس سلوك الجهة المؤتمنة على اللعبة، بل سلوك شخص يعتقد أن اللعبة خاضعة له. هناك صمت حيث يجب أن تكون هناك مساءلة، ومسافة حيث يجب أن يكون هناك انفتاح. هذه ليست الصفات التي تستحقها كرة القدم في قيادتها."
FIFA's Response and Management Meeting
FIFA's recent letter to its 211 member associations and deputies acknowledged procedural errors, framing them as communication failures. The federations countered that FIFA has not acknowledged that the proposal itself was fundamentally flawed. They also criticized the FIFA president's pledge to provide a full report on the events to his council, stating, "لا يزال هناك غياب لأي اعتراف بأن محاولة بيع حصة في كأس العالم كانت فشلًا عميقًا في التقدير، وليس مجرد خطأ إجرائي، بل خرقًا جوهريًا للثقة مع المؤسسات التي يوجد فيفا أصلًا لخدمتها."
FIFA's own letter indicated that only one elected official attended a leadership meeting held in Morocco. None of the FIFA Council members or member associations were invited to participate. Those present were members of the management committee, composed of senior FIFA employees. The federations consider holding a meeting with a select group of FIFA management committee members, rather than leadership confronting the organization's core in Zurich, only reinforces their concerns. They view this as a continuation of the same pattern of behavior, stating, "هذا ليس سلوك الجهة المؤتمنة على اللعبة، بل سلوك شخص يعتقد أن اللعبة خاضعة له."
Demands for Independent Review
The federations emphasized that sound governance, following what they termed a "profound failure of judgment," necessitates a review by a completely independent body. They specified that this body should not include FIFA itself, its employees, or any stakeholder within football. The three football federations stressed that "إدارة فيفا يجب ألا يكون لها أي دور في إجراء المراجعة" ("FIFA management should have no role in conducting the review"). They argued that "لا يزال هناك غياب لأي اعتراف بأن محاولة بيع حصة في كأس العالم كانت فشلًا عميقًا في التقدير، وليس مجرد خطأ إجرائي، بل خرقًا جوهريًا للثقة مع المؤسسات التي يوجد فيفا أصلًا لخدمتها." They demanded the preservation of all relevant documents and records, aligning with UEFA's directives on document retention. According to the federations, this situation is "ليس نتيجة سهو، بل نتيجة تصميم يهدف إلى الحد من التدقيق."