The presidential election for the Korean Football Association (KFA) has been effectively postponed until next year due to intervention from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Concerns were raised regarding the proposed electoral reforms, which were initiated based on recommendations from the K-Football Innovation Committee established by the government, particularly regarding the principles of secret voting and the independence of the association.
On November 8, the KFA announced that it received a joint letter from FIFA and AFC on November 7, expressing concerns about the proposed changes to the presidential election process. As a result, the KFA has canceled its board meeting and extraordinary general assembly scheduled for November 9, halting all related activities.
Since the resignation of former president Chung Mong-kyu in July, the KFA has been preparing for the upcoming election in accordance with the recommendations of the Innovation Committee. The plan was to expand the electoral base from 192 voters last year to over 20,000 and to implement electronic voting to elect a new president on December 18. This was intended to broaden participation beyond a small group of football officials.
The KFA had initially planned to amend its bylaws during a board meeting and general assembly on November 4, but internal disagreements over the fairness and representativeness of the election process led to a postponement until November 9.
However, FIFA and AFC pointed out in their letter that the expanded voter base and large-scale online voting might not adequately ensure the principle of secret voting. They reportedly recommended a general assembly-centered election process that maintains the principles of representative democracy while broadening participation from various representative groups.
Additionally, FIFA emphasized that member associations must comply with FIFA's statutes and expressed concerns about ensuring the independence of the KFA during the reform process.
Since the establishment of the Innovation Committee, there have been ongoing concerns that its activities could be perceived as government interference in the KFA's operations. In fact, FIFA sent a letter to the KFA in August requesting information regarding the activities of the Innovation Committee. Last month, they also requested documents related to the committee's meeting minutes, relevant materials, and new election regulations from the AFC.
If FIFA determines that third parties, such as the government, have improperly interfered in the KFA's operations, it could impose sanctions, including suspension, which would affect the participation of national teams and professional clubs in international competitions.
As a result, the KFA must review the contents of FIFA and AFC's letter and reassess the election process from the ground up. With the election schedule now on hold, it has become virtually impossible to elect a new president by the end of the year. The KFA plans to redesign the election process and proceed with the amendment of its bylaws after internal discussions and consultations with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to current regulations, the deadline for electing a new president is set for March 2027. The Korean Sports Council had previously amended its regulations in July to allow for an extension of up to eight months for the presidential elections of member sports organizations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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