British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign immediately over the governing body’s controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights to the FIFA World Cup, describing the plan as “shameful” and arguing it demonstrates Infantino is unfit to lead world football.
According to IRAF, Burnham made the remarks during a visit to Sheffield, where he publicly urged the FIFA president to step down, saying that the mere existence of such a proposal called into question Infantino’s ability to lead the organization.
“The fact that this proposal has even been put forward shows that the FIFA president is not the right person to lead this organization,” Burnham said.
His comments come as opposition to the proposal continues to grow. Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino’s senior advisers, has resigned over the project, calling it “a bad deal for football” and warning that selling a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights to investors could jeopardize the future of the sport.
Under FIFA’s proposal, a new investment company would be established to hold the commercial rights to the FIFA World Cup, with part of its equity to be sold to investors for $4.2 billion.
The plan has faced strong resistance from UEFA and several major national football associations, while some countries have warned they could boycott the tournament if the proposal is implemented.
Burnham also criticized the commercialization of football, saying the sport belongs to the supporters who fill stadiums week after week, not to investors.
“The World Cup is not a commercial product. It is the greatest sporting event in the world, and no one has the right to sell it,” he said.
Burnham’s intervention marks the first time the leader of a major country has publicly called for Infantino’s resignation over the proposal, adding political pressure to the growing controversy surrounding FIFA’s plans to reshape the commercial structure of the World Cup.
