UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to be replaced, taking direct aim at the governing body’s plan to sell minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary valued at roughly $20 billion.
At the center of the dispute is FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, a newly created commercial entity through which Infantino plans to sell up to 20% in minority stakes. The target: raising approximately $4.2 billion, which FIFA says would fund grassroots and women’s football development worldwide.
Burnham declared that “football does not belong to investors” and that “the World Cup is not a product.”
The FFE plan and its growing opposition
Infantino announced the FFE initiative in late July 2026, framing it as what he called a “singular and unique funding opportunity” for the sport’s development at all levels. Member federations were given until September 19 to evaluate the funding offers on the table.
