When some Middle Eastern football federations wanted to kick Australia out of the AFC

Australia moved from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006. A profitable onlinebet is available at 1xBet on the Australian national side too.

However, tensions quietly simmered among some of Asia’s footballing nations, particularly some of the Middle East. Those tensions spilled into the open in 2015, shortly after Australia won the AFC Asian Cup on home soil, defeating South Korea 2-1 in a dramatic final. There is an onlinebet that can be made in a profitable manner at 1xBet on the AFC Asian Cup too.

Some resentment that emerged

Australia’s success in the tournament marked a major milestone. Just 9 years after joining the AFC, they had claimed Asia’s top football prize. But the victory also sparked resentment among several West Asian federations. Many believed that Australia had gained too much, too quickly, from its move to Asia, without giving enough back. You can also try football betting online at 1xBet on other matches that belong to the AFC too.

Key frustrations centred on the belief that Australia's inclusion made World Cup qualification more difficult for other Asian nations. Australia regularly claimed one of Asia’s limited qualification slots, and some argued that they already had better infrastructure and access to international-level competition compared to most Asian teams. There is online football betting at 1xBet on many international competitions too.

Opposing postures

Following the 2015 tournament, AFC President Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa acknowledged that some Gulf federations had expressed dissatisfaction with Australia’s place in the confederation. He noted that there had been “indications” that certain members wanted to see Australia removed. They claimed the Socceroos were not contributing enough to Asian football development and were instead reaping rewards. And speaking about rewards, you can also claim them if you win in live football betting with 1xBet.

However, no formal action was taken. Sheikh Salman later clarified that any such decision would need to go through the AFC General Assembly, and at the time, no official motion had been submitted. He also distanced himself from the idea, saying some media had exaggerated his comments. Australia, for its part, defended its membership by highlighting its contributions, with 3 examples being:

• development programs across Asia;
• committee work;
• and economic contributions.

Those calls eventually faded, and nowadays, Australia continues being an AFC member. And it is also possible to win by making live football betting in 1xBet on it.