Lib Dems urge FA and UEFA to quit FIFA over ‘destruction of the beautiful game’

The Liberal Democrats have called on the English FA and European football’s governing body UEFA to pull out of FIFA, accusing the world body of “destroying the integrity of the beautiful game” amid mounting controversy at the World Cup.

Call for coordinated walkout

Party leader Sir Ed Davey told the BBC that FIFA “no longer serves football or its fans” and should be scrapped and rebuilt from scratch, urging a coordinated European-led withdrawal.

He said football associations must work together “to build an honest and transparent governing body that puts fans first”, adding: “The only way forward is for the FA, alongside other European bodies, to lead a co-ordinated withdrawal from FIFA.”

Sir Ed went further, directly accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of breaching ethical boundaries.

He said Infantino had “crossed red lines time and time again” and “allowed corporate greed to exploit fans as it wishes, destroying the integrity of the beautiful game.”

“It is time for UEFA to step up, walk away from FIFA, and work with other continental associations to build a clean and transparent governing body that puts fans first,” he concluded.

Trump intervention over Balogun ban

The intervention from the Liberal Democrats follows a string of contentious decisions by FIFA during the tournament, the most explosive of which involved the disciplinary status of United States forward Folarin Balogun.

FIFA abruptly overturned Balogun’s suspension for a match after what has been described as a direct intervention from US President Donald Trump.

UEFA condemned FIFA’s decision on Balogun as having “crossed red lines”, and branded it “unprecedented, inexplicable and unjustified” – a rare and unusually stark public rebuke that has underlined growing tensions between the two powerful governing bodies during the competition.

Ticket prices and water-break revenues under fire

FIFA is also facing sustained criticism over soaring World Cup ticket prices, blamed on a dynamic pricing system that pushes up costs in response to demand.

Infantino has defended the pricing model, insisting that ticket costs are in line with “other major sporting events in the United States”.

At the same time, commercialisation of in-game water breaks has provoked fresh anger. Advertising linked to the scheduled hydration pauses is estimated to be worth up to $250m (£189m) in extra commercial revenue, prompting accusations that player welfare measures are being used to generate profit rather than protect athletes.

Referee entry row adds to pressure

Another flashpoint has been FIFA’s handling of the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was reportedly blocked from entering the United States to officiate at the tournament.

The organisation has been criticised for what opponents describe as a weak and opaque response to the incident, adding to concerns about how FIFA manages sensitive disciplinary and logistical issues at its flagship event.

Potential consequences for England

FIFA, which governs world football and runs the World Cup, has 211 national associations as members, including the English FA.

Any withdrawal by the FA would automatically exclude England from future World Cups and from FIFA-run competitions, a step that would be unprecedented in the modern era and carry profound sporting, financial and political repercussions.

The Liberal Democrats argue that the cumulative effect of the Balogun case, ticket pricing, commercial water breaks and the Omar Artan controversy shows FIFA has “gone too far”.

The BBC said it has contacted FIFA, UEFA and the Football Association for comment.