The three confederations—UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)—released a joint open letter accusing FIFA of a “fundamental breach of trust” and “deception” over its plan to sell a stake in the World Cup. The statement, issued on Monday, targets FIFA president Gianni Infantino, calling the process a “profound failure of judgment” and warning that he “believes the game is answerable to him.” The letter stresses that “leadership in football is not a possession… it is a duty of service.”

FIFA’s recent communication to its 211 Member Associations admits mistakes but frames them as communication failures, while the confederations argue the proposal was rushed, lacked proper consultation, and was designed to limit scrutiny. They demand an independent review, noting FIFA’s own letter shows only one elected official attended the leadership meeting in Morocco, with no Council members or Member Associations present. The management committee, composed of FIFA staff, dominated the session.

The open letter calls for accountability, transparency, and unity, urging FIFA’s administration to play no role in the review and to preserve all documents. It concludes that football’s strength lies in unity and that leadership must serve the game, not command it. The dispute highlights deeper concerns about the integrity of football’s governance.