Infantino wrong man to lead FIFA, says Burnham
July 31, 2026 3:16 pm
FIFA: FIFA president Gianni Infantino
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Gianni Infantino is “the wrong man” to lead FIFA as opposition grows to the governing body’s controversial proposal to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.
The prime minister criticised the plan, describing it as “an outrageous suggestion” and questioning Infantino’s leadership.
As reported by BBC Sport on Friday, Burnham was quoted as saying, “The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, he is the wrong man to lead the organisation.’
His comments came hours after the Asian Football Confederation joined UEFA and CONCACAF in rejecting the proposal, saying it could undermine the integrity of the FIFA World Cup.
“The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world’s leading football nations,” the AFC said in a statement.
“Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered.”
The pressure on Infantino intensified further after his senior adviser on global strategy and governance, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned over the proposal.
Cordeiro described the plan as “a bad deal for football” and warned it would “mortgage football’s future.”
The combined opposition of UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC represents 136 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, a voting bloc large enough to block the proposal if all members follow their confederations’ stance.
Infantino had indicated the proposal would require a simple majority of 106 votes to be approved by FIFA’s member associations.
Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.
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