FIFA chief’s private capital plan sparks calls for leadership rethink

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a strong attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, describing his proposal to open the international football governing body to private-sector investors as “outrageous”.

Burnham said the fact that such a plan was even being considered showed that the Swiss-born Infantino was “the wrong person” to lead FIFA. The comments were made to reporters on Friday during a visit to Sheffield in northern England.

“It was an outrageous proposal, and the mere possibility of considering it shows, in my view, that Infantino is the wrong person to lead the organisation,” Burnham said.

His remarks amount to a clear call for FIFA’s leadership to be reconsidered, as opposition to the investment proposal grows both inside and outside the governing body.

Senior FIFA adviser resigns

The criticism came on the same day that Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to the FIFA president, announced his resignation from the organisation’s governing structure in protest at the plan.

Cordeiro, a former banker, condemned the proposal in his resignation statement, arguing that it would involve selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable assets in order to raise billions of dollars.

“Selling a permanent share in football’s most valuable assets to raise $4.2bn makes no sense; it is mortgaging the future of football without any convincing justification,” he said.

His departure has intensified the pressure facing Infantino, who is confronting the most serious crisis of his presidency since taking charge of FIFA.

The proposal has triggered concern that football could be treated primarily as a commercial project, with sporting values and the game’s global heritage placed at risk. Those concerns have spread beyond British political circles and FIFA’s own administration, with major continental confederations also raising objections.

UEFA threatens World Cup boycott

UEFA has threatened to boycott the World Cup if the plan goes ahead, adding a major international dimension to the dispute.

The Asian Football Confederation, known as the AFC, also joined the opposition on Friday. In a statement, it said: “Any proposal that threatens the tournament must be reconsidered.”

The comments from both continental bodies underline the potential consequences of allowing private capital into FIFA under the terms currently being discussed. Their opposition represents a significant challenge to the proposal, given the importance of the World Cup to football’s international structure.

FIFA attempted to contain the growing crisis with a statement issued on Friday morning, several hours before Cordeiro confirmed his resignation. The governing body sought to reassure the football community by insisting: “No one is selling football, this is something FIFA would never even consider.”

That message failed to calm the anger directed at Infantino. Opposition remains widespread, with questions increasingly being asked about whether he can continue to lead FIFA while facing resistance from political figures, senior officials and major football confederations.

The coming days are expected to be crucial for the future of the investment project and for Infantino’s position at the head of world football. The scale of the rejection has placed the proposal under intense scrutiny and raised fresh doubts about the president’s ability to maintain authority over FIFA.