Jordan FA chief says he will cooperate with AFC review after accusing Infantino

As reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters. The allegations below are theirs, not Vocemundi's.

Prince Ali bin Hussein, head of the Jordan Football Association, said he will cooperate with any Asian Football Confederation (AFC) judicial review.

His pledge follows his accusation that FIFA President Gianni Infantino took over last week's AFC Congress for political purposes. Al Jazeera described this as "taking over". Reuters used the word "hijacking".

The review

According to Al Jazeera, the AFC said on Tuesday that it would refer Prince Ali's statements to its judicial bodies. Al Jazeera's headline summary says the AFC ordered judicial reviews. The reports do not say whether proceedings have formally opened, which body is handling the matter, or what timeline or possible sanctions apply.

Al Jazeera reported that Prince Ali made his pledge in a post on X late on Wednesday. The outlet quoted him as writing: "I respect the AFC and its judicial bodies and will cooperate fully with any process." He said he would make no further comment while the matter is under consideration.

Background

According to Al Jazeera, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa endorsed Infantino for re-election at the AFC's extraordinary congress in Tokyo. Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and is seeking re-election in March, the outlet reported.

Al Jazeera also reported that about three months before the congress, the AFC accused FIFA of a "fundamental breach of trust". This concerned an abandoned proposal to sell a stake in FIFA competitions. Infantino apologised for the proposal, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet described the later endorsement as a sharp shift from the AFC's earlier position. It also describes Prince Ali as a vocal critic of FIFA's leadership.

What each side says

According to Al Jazeera, Prince Ali said delegates at the congress were not allowed to speak, question or debate matters. He described the final day as "pure politics at the behest of Gianni Infantino".

He said his earlier post was meant to explain the FIFA presidential voting process and to stress transparency in football governance. Al Jazeera quoted him as saying: "Its final sentence states a principle the whole football family shares: no election should be open to coercion, threats or bribery. I stand by that principle. It was a statement of principle, not an allegation against any person." He added: "Where concerns arise, the proper place for them is the competent bodies." In his post on X, he wrote: "As the FIFA Statutes provide, the Jordan Football Association will cast its vote in the FIFA presidential election independently."

The AFC said that neither Prince Ali nor any other member association's representatives asked to speak at the congress, according to Al Jazeera. It said allegations involving coercion, threats or bribery should be supported by credible evidence. The AFC statement is paraphrased by Al Jazeera, not quoted directly.

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any response from Infantino or FIFA. They do not include independent evidence on whether delegates asked to speak or were refused. They do not describe specific evidence of coercion, threats or bribery. They do not include the full text of Prince Ali's original post. The Reuters account was available to Vocemundi only as a headline and summary.

Vocemundi note: this story relays allegations published by Al Jazeera and Reuters. Vocemundi did not have access to the underlying evidence or documents and has not independently verified these claims. The people and organisations named are presumed innocent; their response is included where it was available.

Analysis

The case tests how a regional confederation handles public criticism from a member association during a FIFA election cycle. If the AFC's judicial bodies open formal proceedings, attention may turn to what evidence each side can offer about how the congress was run. If they do not, the dispute may stay in public statements. Prince Ali has framed his comments as a matter of principle, while the AFC has asked for credible evidence. Without a response from FIFA or independent accounts of the congress, it is not possible to judge either version. Any effect on the March vote remains uncertain.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.