Key facts
- British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign.
- Burnham described Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup as an 'outrageous suggestion'.
- UEFA has voted to boycott the World Cup if the plans proceed.
- Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior adviser, resigned over the proposal.
- The AFC has joined UEFA and CONCACAF in opposing the plan.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that FIFA President Gianni Infantino is the 'wrong man' to lead the organization, citing his controversial proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup. Burnham's remarks come as football confederations, including UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, have voiced strong opposition to the plan, with UEFA threatening a boycott of FIFA competitions.
Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior adviser, resigned from his position, describing the proposal as a 'bad deal for football' that would 'mortgage football's future.' Cordeiro argued that FIFA's responsibility is to protect and strengthen football for future generations, not to seek outside investors.
Burnham, a proponent of community ownership in football, tweeted that 'football does not belong to investors' but to the fans. He emphasized that the World Cup is 'the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell.'
Reports indicate that FIFA intends to establish a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise, and sell stakes to investors, with Thrive Eternal, linked to Joshua Kushner, identified as a potential lead investor.