Japan reportedly planning to break away from AFC to create Eastern Asian Federation: Reports

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has landed in a controversy with the Japanese Football Association (JFA), which appears to be perturbed at the operations of the continental governing body. Japan are currently the highest-ranked AFC team in the FIFA World Rankings, placed 19th in the latest rankings, and is coming off a remarkable 3-2 win over Brazil in an international friendly.

Despite Japan’s success on the pitch, they don’t seem to be happy with the way the AFC is being run in 2025. The Japan Football Association has reportedly shown a sense of dismay and dissatisfaction with how the AFC is being operated and the attitude of some key members of the association.

Alleged corruption in AFC

There is reportedly an agitation among the members of the Japanese Football Association because they feel that there is extreme corruption within the AFC. The Asian Football Confederation is being accused of showing favouritism towards Qatar, and decisions within the confederation are being influenced by the Qatari Football Association.

As a result, the Japan Football Federation is now actually thinking about potentially leaving the Asian Football Confederation in the near future altogether. There is a sense of dissatisfaction within the Japanese Football Association about many of their players, who currently play for European clubs, often having to travel long distances for AFC matches like the Asian Cup qualifiers.

All these troubles are pushing the JFA to take a drastic decision of breaking away from the AFC and forming a brand new Eastern Asian Federation. However, to even think about doing so, Japan would need strong support from multiple Asian teams that would also have to follow suit with them by leaving the AFC and joining the new Eastern Asian Federation.

Also Read: AFC unveils new logo, pledge & new brand identity

Other federations also in line?

There are rumours that the likes of South Korea, China, North Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Iraq and Singapore could potentially join Japan in the Eastern Asian Federation if it is actually created. For the time being, however, the JFA officials have made no public or official statement about their desire to move away from the AFC or any sense of extreme resentment with the federation.

Moreover, creating a brand new football federation could also come with major obstacles, as it would need approval from FIFA, which might not be ready to green-light a new association in Asia because of their strong relations with the Asian Football Confederation.

Japan are one of the seven AFC-affiliated national teams to have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 2026 edition will also mark Japan’s eighth appearance in a FIFA World Cup, as they look to go deep into the tournament after being knocked out in the Round of 16 in the last two World Cup editions.

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