Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa

Rather, it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed,

• said the AFC, whose longtime president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa narrowly lost the FIFA presidential election to Infantino in 2016.
  NBC Newsnbcnews.com/sports/soccer…Jul 31, 12:17
• read an AFC statement
  Deutsche Welledw.com/en/fifa…Jul 31, 08:07
• said the statement from the AFC, whose longtime president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa narrowly lost the FIFA presidential election to Infantino in 2016.
  Aljazeeraaljazeera.com/sports/2026…Jul 31, 13:06

FIFA's unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football,

• the Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa warned in a letter Thursday to member federations that was seen by The Associated Press
  CBS Newscbsnews.com/news/north…Jul 30, 21:32
• the Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said in a letter to its 46 members of FIFA, warning of risks to their own competitions
  The Manila Timesmanilatimes.net/2026/07…Jul 31, 00:00
• added the Bahraini
  The Independentindependent.co.uk/sport/footba…Jul 30, 19:46

It is important that the AFC family has a complete understanding,... of how such an initiative may affect key areas of global and Asian football, including the sustainability of confederation and (domestic) competitions, as well as the organization and commercial landscape surrounding the AFC's activities."

• Sheikh Salman wrote
  The Manila Timesmanilatimes.net/2026/07…Jul 31, 00:00

FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football,

• the Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa warned in a letter Thursday to member federations that was seen by The Associated Press
  The Independentindependent.co.uk/news/donald…Jul 30, 13:37

Personally, I don’t agree,

• Sheikh Salman said last year
  Aljazeeraaljazeera.com/news/2026…Jul 13, 11:29