Andy Burnham urges Gianni Infantino to resign over World Cup plans
Developed over time first seen 3 months ago
Andy Burnham called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, saying he was “the wrong man” to lead world football following a backlash over the World Cup. The intervention added political pressure to criticism of FIFA’s leadership, raising broader questions about its judgement, governance and ability to retain trust across the game.
The dispute centred on controversial World Cup plans that Infantino later reversed, acknowledging that they had created divisions and saying he wanted to reunite football. Burnham’s criticism reflected concern that the episode had damaged confidence in FIFA at a time when the organisation is expected to manage the tournament and its global consequences responsibly.
- Burnham urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign.
- World Cup plans prompted a significant backlash.
- Infantino reversed course after admitting divisions.
New here? Start with this
FIFA is the international body that governs football, setting rules for major competitions and organising the men’s World Cup. Gianni Infantino has been its president since 2016, and has overseen plans to expand the tournament and stage it in more countries.
Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a prominent Labour politician in England. Debate over FIFA’s leadership has often focused on how it makes decisions about the World Cup, including the effects on players, clubs, supporters and host countries.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of a resignation argue that a FIFA president must show sound judgement, protect football’s credibility and retain the confidence of national leaders and fans. If the proposal behind the World Cup backlash was seriously entertained, they say it raises legitimate doubts about Infantino’s leadership and whether FIFA is being guided by the game’s wider interests rather than narrow institutional priorities. A change at the top could therefore be seen as necessary to restore trust and accountability.
The case against
Opponents of an immediate resignation argue that strong criticism of a particular proposal should not by itself determine a leader’s fate, especially without a full account of how it was developed and what safeguards or alternatives were considered. They may contend that FIFA’s president should be judged through its established governance processes and on his overall record, rather than by political pressure arising from one controversy. In this view, reforms, clarification and scrutiny may be more proportionate than removal.
More coverage
Football Government Politics Sport World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Andy Burnham calls for Gianni Infantino to RESIGN: Prime Minister tells under-fire FIFA president he is ‘the wrong man’ to lead football in wake of World Cup backlash”.