Qatar Football Association President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani sent a letter to AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, questioning the decision to issue a joint statement against Infantino.

Al-Thani said neither the Qatar Football Association nor he personally received any consultation before the AFC joined the criticism.

He argued that the AFC could not claim to represent all 47 member associations without first establishing their collective position.

“A collective view must first be ascertained,” Al-Thani wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. He also asked the AFC to explain what consultation took place before the statement appeared publicly.

The AFC did not comment when Reuters contacted the organisation.

The dispute highlights divisions within Asian football at a sensitive time for Infantino. The FIFA president is seeking another term next year and has faced criticism over a controversial plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions.

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UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF recently criticised Infantino’s conduct and called on him to step down following the collapse of the investment proposal.

The Qatar challenge now raises questions about whether the AFC’s members share a unified position on the FIFA president.

Al-Thani said the QFA received no advance notice of the AFC statement. He also said officials did not circulate a draft or provide an opportunity for member associations to comment before its publication.

The disagreement follows a separate show of support for Infantino from six Arab football associations.

The football federations of Qatar, Morocco, Egypt and Mauritania were among those that backed the FIFA president. Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup.

Four of the six signatories also sit on the FIFA Council. They include Al-Thani, Egypt Football Association President Hany Abo Rida, Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa and Mauritania Football Federation President Ahmed Yahya.

The Arab football leaders praised Infantino for what they described as his efforts to develop football globally and expand opportunities across different regions.

The statement came after Infantino abandoned a proposal to sell a 20% stake in the commercial rights to the World Cup to private investors.

The plan could have generated about $4.2 billion, but Infantino reversed course following widespread opposition.

The controversy has since created a major challenge to his leadership ahead of the FIFA presidential election.

Qatar’s intervention could further expose competing positions within the AFC as football leaders debate the future direction of FIFA.

For now, the dispute leaves Asian football facing an important question: whether the AFC can maintain a united position on Infantino while some of its most influential members continue to support him.