UK Liberal Democrats call for FIFA exit as pressure mounts on Infantino | OneFootball

The Liberal Democrats have urged the English Football Association (FA), UEFA and other football authorities to break away from FIFA, according to The Athletic.

They also want those organisations to help create a new global governing body, arguing that FIFA has lost the trust of fans under president Gianni Infantino.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the ongoing World Cup had exposed what he described as serious problems within FIFA. 

He pointed to the controversy surrounding the red card shown to United States forward Folarin Balogun.

Davey also cited Argentina’s celebrations after their 2-1 victory over England, during which players displayed a banner supporting Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

“From the incredibly dodgy spectacle of Donald Trump phoning up Gianni Infantino to personally get a United States red card overturned, to FIFA’s sluggish inaction over Argentina’s highly provocative Falklands flag stunt, Infantino has crossed red line after red line,” Davey said.

“He has allowed political interference and corporate greed to completely destroy the integrity of our beautiful game. When are we going to finally blow the whistle? It’s time for the FA, UEFA and European governing bodies to step up, lead a coordinated exit and walk away.

“Let’s work with other confederations to build a clean, transparent governing body that actually puts the fans first.”

The Liberal Democrats are the United Kingdom’s third-largest political party behind Labour and the Conservatives, and they have been outspoken throughout the tournament. 

Davey demanded that Infantino step down after the Balogun incident, insisting the World Cup should belong to supporters rather than powerful political figures. 

The party has also criticised the tournament’s record-high ticket prices, arguing they have made attending matches less affordable for many fans.

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson echoed those concerns during a recent interview.

She urged the English FA to work alongside UEFA and other football bodies to establish a governing organisation that puts football and its supporters first while operating with greater openness and accountability.

FIFA has rejected many of the criticisms. The organisation maintains that Balogun’s suspension was handled by an independent disciplinary committee rather than FIFA leadership. 

It has also defended ticket prices by arguing they are comparable to those of other major sporting events in the US and has stressed that World Cup profits are reinvested in football development worldwide.