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Sky Sports·3 min read·medium

FIFA insists 'nobody is selling football' after UEFA threatens to boycott tournaments if plans to sell off stake in World Cup go ahead

FIFA insists 'nobody is selling football' after UEFA threatens to boycott tournaments if plans to sell off stake in World Cup go ahead
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FIFA faces significant internal and external backlash over proposals to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. High-profile figures and football confederations have criticized the plan, with a senior advisor resigning in protest.

Why it matters

The potential privatization of the World Cup threatens the governance and traditional structure of global football, sparking a major institutional crisis.

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has described Gianni Infantino as "the wrong man" to lead FIFA, increasing the pressure on world football's president after a key advisor resigned over his controversial plans. <p>Burnham denounced FIFA's proposal to sell stakes in its competitions - including the World Cup - to private investors when the news first emerged and on Friday said: "The idea that [the plan] could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation."</p><p>Burnham's criticism came after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined UEFA and CONCACAF in its opposition and called for "FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance".</p><p>In a further damaging development, Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to Infantino, resigned in protest at the privatisation plan, saying it was a "bad deal for football" and "for the long-term future of the game".</p><p>In an exclusive statement to <em>Sky News</em>,…

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