Several former Football Association chiefs have urged England to boycott the next World Cup in response to Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in FIFA's major tournaments. The FIFA president's plan, which has faced widespread condemnation, would create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, allowing outside investors to purchase stakes.
Backlash from football bodies
UEFA has criticised FIFA, drawing support from federations in Asia and North America. The FA stated they were "completely unaware of this proposal" and are "deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance".
Calls for extreme measures
David Bernstein, former FA chairman who took a public stand against Sepp Blatter, said the FIFA plan "stinks" and England should "have to have the guts" to boycott the World Cup. Mark Palios, former FA chief executive, said: "UEFA have a real card to play, and that is if they don't turn up at the next World Cup that's going to be an absolute financial disaster for FIFA." He added: "If you don't have Spain, France, England, Germany there, then it's not going to be anything like the spectacle that it normally is. That's the major card they have to play and I hope they do play that."
Growing divide between UEFA and FIFA
The rift between UEFA and FIFA is already evident, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin not attending the World Cup. Europe's governing body has been outspoken about decisions during the tournament, including the Folarin Balogun red card saga. Infantino has defended his proposal, saying: "It is an opportunity but not an obligation. It is a golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally." He also claimed fans worldwide would benefit from "this game-changing potential".
