Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, has been accused of "destroying the integrity of the beautiful game" by the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, who is now urging the English FA and Uefa to withdraw from world football's governing body. The call follows a series of controversies during the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including the overturning of a match ban for an American player after intervention from US President Donald Trump, astronomical ticket prices, and the introduction of hydration breaks designed to generate up to $250m (£189m) in extra advertising revenue.
The Liberal Democrats want the English FA and Uefa, Europe's football governing body, to lead a coordinated exit from Fifa, accusing it of being "too far gone". Sir Ed Davey said football associations should work together "to build a clean, transparent governing body that puts fans first". The English FA is a member of Fifa, one of 211 national associations that belong to the organisation. If it withdrew, England would not be able to compete in World Cups.
“Why the FA and Uefa are being urged to quit Fifa after a World Cup marred by Trump interference, price gouging and Infantino's jets.”
Fifa has been led by Gianni Infantino since 2016, when he succeeded Sepp Blatter. His presidency has been controversial from the start. During the 2026 World Cup, the relationship between Uefa and Fifa became especially tense. Uefa called Fifa's decision not to uphold a ban on US striker Folarin Balogun "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable", saying it had "crossed a red line". The ban was overturned after Trump intervened directly with Infantino, according to reports. Fifa has also faced criticism for its dynamic pricing system, which made tickets for some matches extremely expensive – Infantino defended them as being in line with other US sporting events – and for its response to Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry to the US to officiate at the tournament.
Infantino himself has been the subject of scrutiny over his lavish travel during the tournament. Analysis of flight logs by the Associated Press showed he flew nearly 60,000 miles, the equivalent of circling the planet almost two and a half times, using a Gulfstream G650 jet from the fleet of the Qatari government, operated by Qatar Airways, a World Cup sponsor. He crisscrossed North America to attend matches, meetings and media appearances, and even flew to Doha for the funeral of Qatar's former emir before returning for the semi-finals.
Why does this matter for UK readers? The Liberal Democrats' call puts pressure on the English FA and the UK government. If the FA were to withdraw from Fifa, England would be excluded from future World Cups – a huge sporting and financial blow. Many fans are already angry about the soaring cost of attending matches, the influence of politics on the sport, and what they see as Infantino's willingness to prioritise money and power over fairness. The Football Action Network, a campaign group, says "nothing should be off the table if the game's global governing body refuses to reform", but a full withdrawal remains a drastic step.
Q: What exactly has Gianni Infantino done wrong? Critics say he has allowed corporate greed to exploit fans, imposed huge ticket price increases, introduced ad breaks disguised as hydration breaks, and overturned a legitimate red card ban for a US player after a phone call from Donald Trump – all while flying tens of thousands of miles on a private jet provided by a World Cup sponsor.
Q: Could the English FA actually leave Fifa? In theory, yes. The English FA is an independent member of Fifa and could choose to resign. But the consequences would be severe: England would be barred from World Cups, and the FA would lose its voice in global football governance. No major football association has ever taken such a step.
Q: What is Uefa's position on all this? Uefa has been critical of Fifa during the World Cup, calling the Balogun decision "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable". Sir Ed Davey has urged Uefa to lead a coordinated exit from Fifa, but Uefa has not yet responded to the call. The two bodies have clashed repeatedly over the tournament.
What happens next is uncertain. The Lib Dems have made their call publicly, but the FA and Uefa have so far not commented. The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be played on Sunday, after which the attention may shift to the future of Fifa's leadership. With Infantino's term continuing, the pressure for reform – or a breakaway – is likely to grow.