FIFA Sends Letter to KFA Inquiring About Investigation, Warns of Potential Sanctions for Third-Party Interference

According to the Korean media outlet Chosun Sports, in response to the investigation of the Korean Football Association (KFA) by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the parliamentary inquiries, FIFA has sent a letter specifically warning the KFA that if its operations are interfered with by third parties, Korean football could face penalties from FIFA.

The KFA has been under scrutiny since the dismissal of Jürgen Klinsmann and the appointment of Hong Myung-bo as the new head coach, leading to domestic fan and public opinion questioning the legitimacy of these actions and resulting in subsequent events. These include a special audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism into the KFA’s selection process for national team coaches, as well as parliamentary inquiries involving relevant personnel, including KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.

FIFA has warned the KFA in writing that it must not be subject to interference from third parties, or it risks facing sanctions. A relevant person from the KFA stated that they received a letter from FIFA on September 30th.

FIFA has indicated that the KFA is obligated to manage its affairs autonomously and should not be improperly influenced by external factors. FIFA also emphasized Articles 14 and 15 of its statutes, stating that if these regulations are violated, even if the KFA is not at fault, it will still face penalties from FIFA.

Korean media specifically cited an example from 2015 when Kuwaiti authorities interfered with the work of the Kuwait Football Association, resulting in FIFA suspending Kuwait’s national team’s eligibility to participate in matches and revoking their opportunity to compete in World Cup qualifiers.