Sir Ed Davey has called for the English FA and Uefa to withdraw from Fifa, accusing world football’s governing body of “destroying the integrity of the beautiful game”. The Liberal Democrat leader said Fifa no longer serves the game or its supporters and should be completely dissolved.
The party’s intervention follows a series of controversies that have shaken the World Cup. Fifa’s decision to overturn a match ban for an American player after direct intervention from US President Donald Trump triggered fury from European football’s governing body. Uefa called the move “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”, saying it had “crossed a red line”.
“Lib Dems call on FA and Uefa to quit Fifa, accusing it of destroying football's integrity after Trump intervention and ticket price rows.”
Complaints have also mounted over the high cost of tickets under Fifa’s dynamic pricing system, and the governing body’s response to Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry to the United States to officiate at the tournament. Fifa president Gianni Infantino defended ticket prices, arguing they were in line with other US sporting events. The Liberal Democrats said these examples proved Fifa was “too far gone”.
Sir Ed accused Infantino of “allowing corporate greed to exploit fans at will” and said the president had “crossed red line after red line”. He called on football associations to work together “to build a clean, transparent governing body that puts fans first”. He added: “The only route forward is for the FA, along with other European governing bodies, to lead a co-ordinated exit from Fifa.”
The English FA is one of 211 national associations that are full members of Fifa, which organises the World Cup. If the FA were to withdraw, England would no longer be able to compete in the tournament.
Niall Couper, chair of the Football Action Network campaign group, said there needed to be a debate about Fifa’s future. “Nothing should be off the table if the game’s global governing body refuses to reform,” he said.
Fifa, Uefa and the English FA have been approached for comment.
