FANS are calling on England to boycott the World Cup amid fury at Fifa’s plot to sell off the tournament.
If stakes in the event are flogged as planned it would allow president and his US pals to funnel millions from the sport.
England fans are calling on the Three Lions to boycott the World Cup over Fifa’s plot to sell it off Credit: PA
Furious fans say the move is all about greed and that Infantino ‘must be stopped’ Credit: PA
Furious fans say the move is all about greed and that Infantino “must be stopped”.
Europe’s governing body Uefa is set to hold emergency talks as its 55-strong bloc considers a tough response, .
England’s FA is leading the opposition, saying its leaders are “deeply concerned about the lack of process” i Fifa to create a private company to run its competitions.
Three Lions fans were fleeced by fatcat Infantino’s obscene ticket prices as the team reached the semi-final at this summer’s tournament.
They have urged the FA to call his bluff after he issued an ultimatum to all Fifa member associations. He has offered a to each of the 211 Fifa nations — provided they sign up to his new deal within 53 days.
He intends to create a tournament organisation called Fifa Forward Enterprise and is believed to be planning for the World Cup to be every two years instead of four.
England fan Simon Harris, 67, a retired finance worker from Bridgnorth, Shrops, who followed , and co in the US, said: “This would be the end of the World Cup.
“Fifa is destroying football by selling the soul of the game for money. Uefa should take its countries out of Fifa and boycott the next World Cup. That’s the only way to make Fifa see sense.
“This is all about Fifa and Infantino making more money.”
American business associates of Infantino’s US President pal Donald Trump are understood to have been secretly consulted about the change.
They include an investment firm called Thrive run by , the brother of Mr Trump’s son-in-law .
England’s FA is leading the opposition, saying its leaders are ‘deeply concerned’ Credit: Getty
Uefa are set to hold emergency talks over Infantino’s plan to drive private investment into the tournament Credit: Reuters
Fan Simon added: “Trump’s family links to the organisation which would run the World Cup just tops it off. Infantino must be stopped.”
Steve Hartshorne, 68, a retired pharmacist from Walsall, West Mids, who has not missed an England game for 14 years, said: “Infantino needs to be removed.
“He thinks he’s untouchable — Uefa need to stand up to him. The FA should set up their own organisation to run football properly.
“Having the World Cup every two years with 64 teams would be absolutely ridiculous. It’s special because it’s every four years.”
Manchester City supporter Mike Andrews, 60, a nursery manager from Newquay, Cornwall, who also followed England in the US, said: “Fifa are taking the World Cup away from fans by allowing a corporate entity to run it to make even more money. It’s all about Fifa’s greed.”
New PM has also blasted the proposals. Ex-FA and Man City chairman David Bernstein said England must withdraw from the World Cup if Infantino’s proposals go through.
He added: “The whole thing is dreadful. It feels like cronyism, nepotism. It stinks, frankly.”
An FA spokesman said: “We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details.
One proposed investor is Joshua Kushner — a younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner Credit: Getty Fifa's World Cup sell-off plan
- Fifa would set up a firm for the “operational delivery of Fifa tournaments” called Fifa Forward Enterprise, which will effectively control the men’s and women’s World Cups and Club World Cup
- Fifa would then own the majority share in the company — but investors could purchase 20 to 30 per cent which could amount to billions of dollars
- Each of Fifa’s 211 member associations would also be given a stake worth approximately £15m which they could keep or sell
- Infantino would then be in line to run the company after he steps down as head of Fifa
- One proposed investor is Joshua Kushner — a younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner
“Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point.
“When the proposal is shared in the full and transparent way now promised by Fifa, we will comment further.”
Uefa accused Fifa of using football “to enrich themselves and their friends”.
A Uefa insider told The Sun: “There is a great deal of anger about this plan. The future of the game is at stake.”
But the hoped-for show of European unity faltered yesterday as Czech Republic FA chief David Trunda said he can see the “positive impact” of the plans proposed by Infantino, 56, from Switzerland.
Fifa’s American bloc Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have both expressed disappointment that they were not consulted on the plans.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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