UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have accused FIFA of a “fundamental breach of trust” and “deception” over its handling of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup, saying that the episode raises serious questions about the integrity of football’s leadership.

In an “open letter to the football family” revealed on Monday, the three confederations took aim at FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying the process represented a “profound failure of judgment” and accusing him of acting like someone who “believes the game is answerable to him.”

“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it,” the joint statement, signed by the heads of the confederations, read.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

The Press Association understands that the three confederations have also held initial talks about organizing competitions themselves amid the backlash against Infantino.

While it is understood they want to give Infantino the chance to resign and leave his position with dignity without seeking re-election in March next year, the three bodies want to insulate themselves from the unfolding crisis.

UEFA has previously threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions and PA understands that its decision to hold preliminary discussions with AFC and Concacaf about coordinating their own tournaments is to make sure the players under their jurisdictions have meaningful opportunities to compete.

UEFA runs football in Europe, Concacaf does the same for North, Central America and the Caribbean, while the AFC governs the sport in Asia.

Infantino apologized for his proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA’s tournaments, with an idea to sell off around 20% to private investors.

But the letter has urged FIFA to hold an independent review into Infantino’s scheme, while not naming the Swiss directly.

“A proposal advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed toward a deadline before member associations could properly review its terms is not the product of an oversight — it is the product of a design intended to limit scrutiny,” the letter continues.

“It did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong. There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was a profound failure of judgment – not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust with the very institutions FIFA exists to serve.

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“FIFA has also committed to presenting a full report on these events to the FIFA Council, once again failing to recognize that proper governance in the face of such a profound lack of judgment would require that such a review be conducted by a fully independent third party, not by FIFA itself, its staff, or by any stakeholder within football. The FIFA administration should play no role in conducting the review.

“There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness. These are not the qualities football deserves in its leadership.

“That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve. Football’s strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.”

Information from the Press Association contributed to this report.