The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) publicly expressed its disappointment on July 29 after FIFA announced plans to establish a commercial entity known as the FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) without prior consultation with the AFC. This announcement was made by FIFA on July 28, outlining a commercial plan that includes the potential sale of equity in the FFE, which is estimated to have an initial valuation of $20 billion.

In a statement, the AFC noted that it had not been involved in discussions regarding this proposal, which is considered significant for the future of football's commercial landscape. The AFC stated that its members had not had the opportunity to review or discuss such an important matter through established management channels, leading to their disappointment.

The AFC emphasized that proposals of this scale and impact should be based on good governance, transparency, and effective consultation. They believe that any initiative that could reshape the future of football's business must be thoroughly discussed with continental football associations, member associations, and other stakeholders before being made public.

Furthermore, the AFC insisted that all stakeholders should receive adequate information and sufficient time to evaluate the proposal comprehensively. This process is critical to ensuring that any decisions made reflect the collective interests of the global football community and enhance confidence in FIFA's governance framework.

FIFA's plan to create the FFE includes the intention to sell a portion of its equity to external investors to raise $4.2 billion for the operation of the World Cup and related commercial activities. However, this initiative has faced opposition, with UEFA stating that FIFA has crossed a line that should not be crossed, asserting that the soul of football and the management of its events should not be treated as tradable assets.