Burak Bir
31 July 2026•Update: 31 July 2026
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Friday called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign over a reported plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Sheffield, Burnham described the reported proposal as "outrageous."
"The idea that it could even be brought forward, in my view, shows that the FIFA (president) is the wrong man to lead the organization," he said.
After being told Infantino was pressing ahead with the plan despite opposition from UEFA and other member bodies, Burnham said: "Oh wow. Have they actually done that? Oh wow."
According to The Times newspaper, Infantino has held talks on selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
The report said he had discussed the proposal with investors close to US President Donald Trump's administration and warned the move could have a "devastating" impact on football.
UEFA said Thursday it would boycott the World Cup over the proposal, while CONCACAF, which represents North, Central America and the Caribbean, and the Asian Football Confederation also rejected the idea.
Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino's senior advisers, resigned Thursday over what he described as "a bad deal for football."
