Prime Minister Andy Burnham has openly criticised FIFA president Gianni Infantino, calling him "the wrong man" to head the global football organisation. Burnham's remarks have intensified the scrutiny surrounding Infantino after a senior adviser resigned in protest over a contentious plan to commercialise the sport's flagship events. Burnham first attacked FIFA's proposal to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. He said the very existence of such a proposal demonstrated, in his view, that Infantino is not fit to lead.
"The fact that this idea could even be floated shows that, in my opinion, he is the wrong person to run the body," Burnham told reporters. His condemnation followed a united front from three of football's major confederations. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined UEFA and CONCACAF in denouncing the scheme and called for an urgent review of FIFA's governance structures. The AFC, which had previously been a staunch supporter of Infantino, signalled a shift in attitude by urging greater transparency and democratic decision‑making.
The internal dissent deepened when Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino and a former banker with a lifelong passion for the game, stepped down. In a statement to Sky News, Cordeiro described the privatisation plan as "a bad deal for football" and warned it would damage the sport's long‑term future. He stressed that he had not been involved in drafting the proposal and that he opposed it unequivocally, adding that he could not stand by while FIFA contemplated selling a share of the World Cup. Soon after, FIFA's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, echoed the concerns of staff members who felt misled by Infantino's lack of openness.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Lamour said employees deserved "better than contempt and intimidation" and labelled the World Cup initiative as "the project of one person". He urged football leaders to intervene before the plan progressed further. FIFA attempted to calm the storm with a statement released in the early hours of Friday, insisting that "nobody is selling football". The governing body claimed the consultation process would remain open and democratic, despite what it described as "incorrect media reports" that had disrupted the dialogue.
According to the statement, the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) was intended to give every member association an opportunity to benefit from commercial revenues without compromising the sport's spirit or governance. The controversy also attracted attention from the United States. President Donald Trump, who was hosting a cabinet meeting at Camp David, was asked whether he had discussed the plan with Infantino. Trump replied, "No, I never spoke to him," distancing himself from the debate.
The plan's lead investor, Thrive Eternal, a company founded by Joshua Kushner – the brother of Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner – has so far declined to comment. European football bodies responded forcefully.
UEFA, representing 55 national associations, announced that none of its members would take part in any FIFA tournament until the proposal was withdrawn. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), which oversees 41 nations, similarly rejected the plan, stating that it would not participate in any competition organised under the new commercial framework. Opponents fear that the privatisation could lead to larger, more frequent tournaments, further crowding domestic calendars and eroding the traditional structure of the sport. They argue that commercial imperatives should not dictate the frequency or scale of the World Cup, a competition that belongs to fans, players, and national associations rather than private shareholders.
The AFC's statement called for a "catalyst for strengthening institutional reform" and demanded that any proposal of global significance be developed through proper consultation, meaningful engagement, and oversight by FIFA's statutory bodies. The confederation warned that without such reforms, the integrity of world football could be compromised. Inside FIFA, the backlash appears to be reaching a tipping point.
Sky Sports News commentator Kaveh Solhekol described the situation as a "catastrophic error of judgment" for Infantino, suggesting that the president could face a genuine threat to his tenure. Solhekol noted that a vote of no confidence could be triggered at an emergency Congress if at least 20 percent of the 211 member associations support it.
He also speculated that Infantino might be challenged by one or more candidates in the next presidential election, scheduled for March of the following year. The combination of high‑profile resignations, public condemnations from continental confederations, and mounting pressure from national associations paints a picture of a governing body in crisis. While FIFA maintains that the FFE project is designed to empower member associations and generate revenue for the sport's development, critics argue that the plan threatens to hand over a piece of football's soul to private investors.
As the debate continues, the football community watches closely to see whether Infantino will adjust his strategy, step down, or attempt to push the plan through despite the opposition. The outcome will likely shape the future governance of the sport, the commercial landscape of its premier events, and the relationship between FIFA and its member associations for years to come.