FIFA to visit Korea Football Association in September to review K-Football Innovation Committee

FIFA will visit the Korea Football Association next month to review the operations of the K-Football Innovation Committee.

The Korea Football Association said Saturday that three FIFA officials, including the director of the member associations secretariat, are scheduled to visit during the second week of September for a two-night, three-day stay to examine how the innovation committee is being run.

Earlier, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) jointly sent an official letter to the Korea Football Association on Friday, asking it to submit documents on the topics discussed by the innovation committee and its progress to date. The letter also included a reference to FIFA's statutory provisions allowing sanctions against third parties that improperly interfere with the independence of member associations.

The Korea Football Association received notice of the planned visit from FIFA while it was preparing the requested materials.

The innovation committee is a temporary body launched in July under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in response to calls for reform in Korean football following the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. Park Ji-sung, a member of a FIFA subcommittee, and Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min serve as co-chairs, with the committee discussing football governance, youth development and the adoption of advanced technology.

However, concerns have been raised that the body, being government-led, could be perceived as external interference in the Korea Football Association's affairs. At its launch, the innovation committee stated that the association's independence must be guaranteed and that the government should not intervene in association matters beyond the bounds of the law.

Meanwhile, the innovation committee held a listening session in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 19, bringing together youth players, coaches and parents to discuss on-the-ground issues including tournaments held during extreme heat and cold, limited playing opportunities and college entrance exam scheduling. Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young said the government would work to reform the practice of holding competitions during periods of extreme heat and cold that pose risks to players' health.