Jordan FA Chief Faces AFC Judicial Review Over Infantino Criticism

Prince Ali bin Hussein, the chief of the Jordan Football Association, has announced that his organization will fully cooperate with a judicial review initiated by the Asian Football Confederation. This development follows a dispute in which Prince Ali accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of seizing control of the AFC Congress for political advantage during the event held last week.

The tension arose after AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa used the extraordinary congress in Tokyo to endorse Infantino for re-election. Prince Ali subsequently claimed that delegates were prevented from speaking, questioning, or debating key issues. He characterized the final day of the proceedings as pure politics carried out at the behest of the FIFA President.

In response, the AFC issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying that neither Prince Ali nor representatives from any other member association had formally requested to speak during the sessions. The confederation noted that while allegations regarding coercion, threats, or bribery are serious, they must be backed by credible evidence. The organization confirmed that it would refer the specific statements made by Prince Ali to its internal judicial bodies for examination.

Late on Wednesday, Prince Ali posted on the social media platform X to address the situation. He expressed his respect for the AFC and its judicial mechanisms, stating that the Jordan Football Association would cast its vote in the upcoming FIFA presidential election independently, as provided by FIFA Statutes.

The Jordanian chief explained that his initial comments were designed to clarify the voting process for the FIFA presidency and to emphasize the need for transparency in football governance. He defended the final sentence of his earlier post as a statement of shared principle rather than a direct allegation against any specific individual. He maintained that the principle that no election should be subject to coercion, threats, or bribery is one shared by the entire football family.

Prince Ali added that when concerns arise, the appropriate venue for addressing them is the competent bodies. He indicated that he would refrain from making further public comments while the matter remains under active consideration by the AFC judicial panel.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions regarding FIFA’s leadership. Prince Ali has been a vocal critic of the current administration. Gianni Infantino, who has served as FIFA president since 2016, is seeking to retain his position in a vote scheduled for March. His bid comes after he issued an apology regarding an abandoned proposal to sell a stake in FIFA competitions.

The recent endorsement by the AFC represents a significant shift in the confederation’s stance. Just three months prior, the AFC had accused FIFA of a fundamental breach of trust over the same abandoned proposal. This reversal has drawn attention to the dynamics of continental support within the global football governance structure.

As the judicial review proceeds, the focus remains on whether the statements made by Prince Ali will lead to formal sanctions or if they will be resolved as a matter of governance principle. The outcome could influence how future continental congresses manage delegate participation and the endorsement of global leaders.