Football Australia chair Anter Isaac has dismissed recent controversies surrounding FIFA as "growing pains" for the global governing body. He made the comments during an interview this week, urging a more mature and process-focused response from the football community.

Isaac, the most senior football official in Australia, spoke on the 'Beyond the Game' YouTube channel. He addressed the widespread criticism directed at FIFA president Gianni Infantino over a now-abandoned proposal to privatise aspects of the World Cup. "We can look at it and be unsophisticated and say, what a mess, or we can take a more responsible, mature view and say, you know what, these are growing pains," Isaac said.

Focus on process

The chair's remarks come as Asian confederation officials gather in Tokyo for their congress. While European and North American officials have been vocal in their criticism, Infantino retains growing support from South America, Africa, and Asia. Isaac noted that FIFA's revenues have exploded in recent World Cup cycles, but its internal systems have not kept pace. He believes much of the criticism stems from a lack of understanding of FIFA's internal operations and that its intentions are generally in the best interests of football.

Uefa recently sent a letter to FIFA requesting explanations about the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal, also referencing other issues like the Folarin Balogun affair and relations with former US president Donald Trump. At a subsequent FIFA council meeting in Zurich, Infantino declined to provide comprehensive answers, instead requesting written questions be submitted ahead of a meeting in Doha on 16 December.

Isaac emphasized that the focus should now be on diagnosing what went wrong to prevent future issues. "I've been encouraged that, right across the board, everyone is now focusing on that [process] with a view to, OK, let's try and diagnose, what maybe could have been done differently or better, so that in future, and we codify it, so that in future we avoid it," he explained.

Asian support and Australia's stance

Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had previously demanded leadership that serves football, but has since softened his stance, calling instead for strengthened FIFA governance. Nations like Qatar and the UAE have indicated support for Infantino. Football Australia's own statement in August on the matter called for "clear and credible action," a position broadly aligned with Sheikh Salman's.

Socceroos' focus shifts to Qatar

The off-field discussions occur as the Socceroos prepare for their next competitive action. Their recent form shows a draw and a loss in two friendlies against Brazil last month. They fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 on September 25, with Nestory Irankunda scoring in the 83rd minute, before falling 4-2 in the return match four days later. Alessandro Circati and Connor Metcalfe found the net in that defeat.

Attention now turns to World Cup qualification, with Australia's next fixture an away match against Qatar on November 13. The team will be looking to translate the focus on solid foundations off the pitch into positive results on it as they build towards the 2026 tournament.

Background and full detail: The Guardian Football