UEFA, Concacaf, and AFC demand independent review into the FIFA forward enterprise proposal

UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have called for an independent review into FIFA’s handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, saying trust in football leadership has been damaged.

The joint letter, signed by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, criticised the process behind the proposal and demanded that FIFA administration play no role in investigating the matter.

The confederations said football belongs to players, fans, clubs, member associations, and institutions responsible for protecting the game’s future, arguing that recent achievements were the result of collective efforts rather than one individual.

“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game and the integrity of those elected to lead it,” the letter stated.

They accused FIFA of treating the controversy as a communication failure rather than a failure of judgment, claiming the proposal was introduced on a rushed timeline without sufficient consultation.

The three confederations said any review should be carried out by a fully independent third party, adding that FIFA’s own administration should not oversee the process.

They also criticised a recent FIFA leadership meeting in Morocco, claiming it lacked participation from FIFA Council members and member associations, describing it as part of a wider pattern of poor governance.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it with authority,” the letter said.

UEFA, Concacaf, and AFC concluded by calling for unity and leadership that serves football rather than seeks to control it.