Rumored To Leave AFC, Japan Gives Rebuttal

Japan denies leaving the AFC (Instagram/@japanfootballassociation).

JAKARTA - The Japanese Football Federation (JFA) has dismissed an issue that states they intend to leave the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Quoted from Football Tribe on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, a spokesman for JFA said Japanese rumors of wanting to get out of the AFC were just absurd information.

"This information (Japan wants to get out of the AFC) is completely baseless and I don't know where it came from. This is just an unreasonable rumor," said the JFA representative.

The issue that Japan intends to leave the AFC was first revealed by Iraqi media, UTV. In their report, they said there was a serious move from JFA to get out of the AFC.

"There is a movement from Japan to withdraw from the AFC and establish an 'East Asia Federation'. They protest and oppose things that look like manipulation and corruption in the AFC, which is controlled by Qatar funding. They also no longer believe in the AFC," reads the UTV report.

The news emerged on the grounds that JFA was not satisfied with the decision of Asia's highest football body.

One of the triggers is the way the AFC manages the AFC Champions League Elite tournament.

Last season, the AFC controversially decided to hold a quarter-final match until the final in Saudi Arabia. The decision was considered by JFA to be very unfair, especially after Japan's representative, Kawasaki Frontale, was defeated by Al Expert (Saudi Arabia) in the final round.

If traced, in recent years the AFC has often provided a place for Qatar and Saudi Arabia as gold children.

In fact, for important matches such as the 2026 World Cup Qualification, the AFC also chose Saudi Arabia and Qatar to host.