Rumors about Japan considering leaving the Asian Football Confederation are baseless

Japanese media, specifically *Football Tribe Japan*, affirm that the news of Japan’s national team exiting the AFC is merely baseless gossip, even though there remain many grievances within the organization.

Page Football Tribe Japan citing sources from Japanese media, states that the likelihood of Japan leaving the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is almost nonexistent, following reports that the JFA is contemplating forming an independent “East Asian alliance.”

Previously, on October 16, the Iraqi TV channel UTV caused a stir by reporting that Japan intended to withdraw from the AFC due to “dissatisfaction with Middle Eastern financial influence and corruption, as well as manipulation within the federation.” According to this source, Japan is even discussing the possibility of creating a separate organization, with Iraq potentially joining if the plan moves forward.

However, on October 19, Omani journalist Isa Said, who has close ties with the Japan Football Association (JFA), completely denied these rumors. He emphasized: “The information claiming Japan will leave the AFC is entirely baseless and origins are unclear. This is just meaningless speculation.”

Nevertheless, Football Tribe notes that critical voices against the AFC still exist within Japanese football. Many believe the new AFC Champions League format, which includes splitting into ACL Elite and ACL2, along with hosting quarterfinals onward in the Middle East, disadvantages East Asian clubs.

Additionally, international match scheduling presents challenges for Japanese players. Many stars playing in Europe, such as Takefusa Kubo, must travel tens of thousands of kilometers to join the national team during FIFA windows, significantly affecting their fitness and performance. Consequently, some Japanese experts have proposed reconsidering the AFC’s system or even separating East and West Asia in AFC competitions to ensure fairness.

Despite these issues, Football Tribe Japan confirms that Japan leaving the AFC is not part of the JFA’s current plans.