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

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.

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."

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".

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".

In an exclusive statement to Sky News, Cordeiro added: "As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup.

"Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally."

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A second FIFA official - chief operating officer Kevin Lamour - later said the governing body's staff were "deceived" by Infantino's lack of openness over his plans, and told the Associated Press news agency, staff "deserve better than contempt and intimidation".

Lamour called the World Cup plans "the project of one person" and said it was time for football leaders to take action.

Cordeiro's resignation and Lamour's comments came after FIFA had released a statement in the early hours of Friday morning insisting "nobody is selling football" amid criticism of its proposals.

Trump denies Infantino talks

United States President Donald Trump has said he did not speak to Infantino about FIFA's hugely controversial plan to sell stakes in a new company that would operate the World Cup.

Thrive Eternal, a company founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been earmarked as the lead investor. It has so far declined to comment on the matter.

Trump, who was hosting a cabinet meeting at the presidential retreat Camp David on Friday, was asked about whether he had discussed the matter with FIFA president Infantino.

"No, I never spoke to him," Trump told reporters.

FIFA says 'nobody is selling football'

World football's governing body instead hit out at "incorrect media reports" and insisted it would press ahead with a consultation period.

FIFA's statement said: "We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and would like to address the issues that have surfaced since the initial media reporting on Tuesday.

"We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.

⁠"Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA has the ability to express its vote based on facts."

The statement continued: "FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA Member Associations (MAs) have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries, and that this does not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of FIFA or football itself.

"Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain."

UEFA's 55 member associations said on Thursday they would not participate in any FIFA tournament until the plan was withdrawn.

CONCACAF, the confederation representing 41 nations from North and Central America, along with the Caribbean, also made clear its opposition to FIFA's plan, saying it "rejected the proposal".

FIFA has promised financial gains for national associations if the commercial entity FFE goes ahead.

The plan is supported by an investor group led by Thrive Eternal, founded by Josh Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

But opponents fear that commercial imperatives will drive FIFA to hold bigger and more frequent tournaments in the future, eating even further into domestic schedules.

UEFA's opposition to the plan, in its words, is "unanimous and unequivocal".

"No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership," European football's governing body stated.

The AFC had been a big supporter of Infantino up to now but its intervention on Friday marks a shift, with its statement coming close to asking for Infantino to step down. AFC president Sheikh Salman came second behind Infantino in the FIFA presidential election in 2016.

A statement said: "The AFC believes this moment must become a catalyst for strengthening institutional reform. While every FIFA MA must have the opportunity to consider and determine proposals affecting the future of world football, meaningful democracy is not measured solely by the opportunity to vote. It begins with transparent governance, timely consultation, informed deliberation and genuine participation throughout the decision-making process.

"Accordingly, the AFC calls upon FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework to ensure that proposals of global significance are developed through proper consultation, meaningful engagement and appropriate oversight by FIFA's statutory bodies."

Analysis: 'Infantino facing real prospect of losing job'

Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol:

"A 'catastrophic error of judgment' means Infantino is facing the real prospect of losing his job as FIFA president.

"The question on Friday night is whether he is taken out by someone inside or outside FIFA.

"Many good people work at FIFA, and they have been as horrified as ordinary football fans about the way Infantino has been running world football.

"Such is the strength of feeling about Infantino's secret plan to partly privatise the World Cup that it is debatable whether he could mend his relationships with members of the FIFA Council and his own administration.

"They were kept in the dark about his plans and are unlikely to be in the mood to forgive and forget.

"Infantino's clandestine sell-off plan is being described as a 'catastrophic error of judgment' by insiders who believe he cannot survive.

"Many people who work at FIFA are known to be uncomfortable with a long list of controversial incidents under Infantino, such as the decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play for the United States against Belgium at the World Cup even though he was suspended.

"If Infantino refuses to resign, a vote of no confidence could be held at an emergency Congress which could be called with the support of 20 per cent of FIFA's 211 member associations.

"What is now clear is that at the very least Infantino will be challenged by one or more other candidates at next year's presidential election - if he clings on to power until March."

(c) Sky Sports 2026: FIFA insists 'nobody is selling football' after UEFA threatens to boycott tournaments if plans to sell off stake in World Cup go ahead