Andy Burnham urges Gianni Infantino to resign over World Cup rights sale
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UK prime minister Andy Burnham has called for Fifa president Gianni Infantino to resign over plans to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights. Burnham described the proposal as “outrageous”, arguing that it showed Infantino was unfit to lead Fifa and that football’s most important tournament should not be treated as an investment product.
Fifa plans to place World Cup commercial rights in an investment vehicle and sell a share to investors for $4.2bn (£3.1bn). The plan has prompted opposition from Uefa and other member bodies, including the prospect of a boycott by all 55 European nations, while Infantino adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling it a damaging deal for football’s long-term future.
- Burnham urged Infantino to resign over World Cup rights plans.
- Fifa proposes a $4.2bn sale of commercial rights.
- European nations may boycott amid governance concerns.
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Fifa is football’s world governing body and organises the World Cup, the men’s tournament held every four years. Gianni Infantino has been its president since 2016, overseeing decisions on competitions, broadcasting and commercial deals.
World Cup commercial rights include the ability to sell television coverage, sponsorship, licensing and other uses of the tournament. Fifa’s proposal would put some of those rights into a separate investment vehicle, allowing outside investors to buy a stake in future income.
Uefa is the body representing European football associations, including the 55 national associations that take part in its competitions. Opposition from European bodies matters because their teams, players and broadcasters are central to the World Cup’s reach and revenue.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Opponents argue that World Cup commercial rights are a long-term public asset of global football, and that selling a stake risks putting short-term financial engineering ahead of the game’s independence and future revenues. They contend that such a consequential change requires broad agreement from member associations rather than being driven by Fifa’s leadership, and that the scale of resistance indicates a serious loss of confidence. From this perspective, Gianni Infantino should resign because the proposal suggests poor stewardship of an institution held in trust for players, supporters and national federations.
The case against
Supporters of the proposal could argue that bringing in outside investment is a practical way to realise part of the World Cup’s value now, diversify funding and finance development across football without asking poorer associations to bear greater costs. They may say that commercial rights can be professionally managed within a dedicated vehicle while Fifa retains oversight and uses the proceeds to strengthen the sport worldwide. On this view, calls for resignation are premature: a contested investment proposal should be examined, negotiated and, if necessary, revised through Fifa’s governance processes rather than treated as proof that its president is unfit to serve.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Andy Burnham calls on Infantino to resign over ‘outrageous’ World Cup plans”.