FIFA World Cup Commercial Rights Controversy

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Friday called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down, becoming the first leader of a major country to demand his resignation over a proposal to sell commercial rights to the World Cup. Burnham called the plan "an outrageous suggestion" and said Infantino is "the wrong man" to lead world football's governing body.

The dispute centres on FIFA's plan to create a commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, and sell minority stakes to investors for an estimated $4.2 billion. Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, is expected to lead the investor group. UEFA unanimously voted to boycott World Cups if the plan proceeds, while Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have joined the opposition.

Senior FIFA adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned on Thursday, calling it "a bad deal for football". FIFA has vowed to press ahead, with member associations given until 19 September to approve the proposal requiring a simple majority of 106 of 211 votes.

Concacaf has unanimously rejected FIFA's proposal to establish a new commercial entity and sell shares in its tournament rights to private investors, deepening a revolt against FIFA President Gianni Infantino's revenue drive.

Following an emergency meeting of its 41 member associations, the confederation expressed deep concern over FIFA's leadership and lack of transparency, saying it learned of the plan only through media reports. FIFA aims to raise approximately 27.6 billion kroner through the venture, with a reported September 19 deadline for approval tied to a promised special payment to member federations. Concacaf instructed its FIFA Council members to ensure proper governance procedures are followed and to redirect FIFA's substantial reserves toward football development.

The rejection, combined with UEFA's 55 votes, leaves Infantino struggling to secure a majority among FIFA's 211 member nations. Unlike UEFA, which threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments, Concacaf stopped short of issuing a similar ultimatum.

FIFA's proposal to create a subsidiary and sell up to a 20 percent stake to outside investors has drawn sharp opposition from former president Sepp Blatter and European football's governing body, even as current leadership defended the plan as a democratic process.

FIFA on Tuesday unveiled plans for FIFA Forward Enterprise, a new company to handle commercial operations for the World Cup and other tournaments, valued at roughly $20 billion. Blatter, who led FIFA from 1998 to 2015, [said he was

UEFA and all 55 of its national member associations voted unanimously to boycott every FIFA tournament until FIFA president Gianni Infantino abandons a proposal to sell minority stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The decision, taken during an emergency virtual meeting on Thursday, means European teams would refuse to participate in any FIFA competition — including next summer's Women's World Cup in Brazil and the 2030 men's tournament in Spain, Portugal and Morocco — unless the plan is fully withdrawn with legally binding guarantees.

Infantino's proposal would create a semi-private subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, valued at $20 billion, selling up to 21 percent to raise roughly $4.2 billion for distribution to national associations. FIFA has set a September 19 deadline for approval, and Jared Kushner's family has been named among potential investors.

The backlash extends beyond Europe. CONCACAF convened its 41 members expressing deep concerns, while the Asian Football Confederation and Confederation of African Football voiced dismay at learning of the plan through media. German federation president Bernd Neuendorf called the proposals unacceptable.