Explosive call: British MP urges England to leave FIFA

British Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the English Football Association to withdraw from FIFA, accusing world football’s governing body of undermining the integrity of the sport and urging UEFA to lead the creation of a new international organisation.

The appeal came shortly before England’s victory over France in the World Cup third-place play-off, with Davey arguing that FIFA had “destroyed the integrity of the beautiful game” and had “gone too far”, pointing to the Balogun affair as a key example.

Ed Davey calls for England and UEFA to break away from FIFA

Davey said England should not leave FIFA in isolation, warning that doing so would prevent the national team from taking part in future World Cups.

Instead, he proposed what he described as a coordinated withdrawal involving UEFA and its member associations, allowing European football to establish a separate governing body.

According to Davey, such an approach would enable European football to move away from FIFA while maintaining international competition under a different structure.

“It is time for UEFA to take responsibility, separate itself from FIFA and start working with other confederations to build its own transparent governing body that puts the fans first,” Davey said.

His comments reflected growing criticism from members of his party over FIFA’s governance and decision-making.

Liberal Democrats criticise FIFA leadership

Davey’s position was echoed by fellow Liberal Democrat parliamentarian Anna Sabine, who serves as the party’s spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sabine argued that FIFA no longer operates as an impartial governing body and questioned its system of leadership.

She said the organisation behaves “more like a closed cartel than a neutral international sporting body”, pointing to the expected re-election of FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2027.

According to Sabine, the prospect of another term for Infantino raises broader concerns about governance within world football.

“By validating without discussion a fourth term despite toxic scandals, the governing bodies of football show that they are content to remain in sordid misery rather than strive to achieve better,” the elected official said in a statement quoted by the BBC.

Proposal centres on a coordinated exit

Davey stressed that England acting alone would not be a practical solution because leaving FIFA independently would result in the national team’s exclusion from World Cup competition.

For that reason, he believes UEFA should coordinate a collective departure involving its member associations while engaging with other continental confederations to establish an alternative governing body.

His proposal centres on creating a football administration that, in his view, would place supporters at the heart of decision-making and provide greater transparency than the current system.

The call represents one of the strongest political criticisms directed at FIFA, with senior Liberal Democrat figures arguing that reform is no longer sufficient and that a new international structure should be considered instead.