Qatar Football Association criticizes the Asian Football Confederation and calls for "consultation"

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has criticized its Asian counterpart, asserting that any collective stance “must be based on prior consultation,” in response to a joint statement issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in partnership with UEFA and CONCACAF, in which the three confederations attacked FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his controversial proposal to create a commercial company.

Last Monday, the three continental confederations published an “open letter to the football family,” stating that football “does not belong to anyone” and that leadership “is not about holding or claiming power, but rather a duty of service to the football family.”

In a statement, the QFA responded to the AFC, calling for “a written clarification regarding the consultation process that preceded the issuance of the statement,” as well as details on “the mechanism for informing or consulting member national associations, and an explanation of the basis on which the AFC spoke collectively on behalf of its members.”

QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani clarified in the statement that “the Qatar Football Association was not consulted, either formally or informally, prior to the issuance of the statement, nor did it receive any prior notice or draft of the statement, and it was not given the opportunity to comment on or contribute to its content before it was published in the name of the AFC and on behalf of its members.”

The QFA emphasized “the importance of adhering to sound institutional procedures and standards of governance and transparency,” noting that “the issuance of a statement speaking on behalf of AFC members without consulting them raises questions about the mechanism used in adopting such positions,” and reaffirmed “the necessity of applying principles of transparency and consultation consistently, in order to preserve the credibility of the AFC and strengthen trust among its members.”