KB News Desk
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has sharply criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the abandoned proposal to bring private investors into the World Cup and other FIFA competitions.
Infantino has come under growing pressure since the plan triggered opposition across international soccer, with UEFA emerging as one of its strongest critics and the English Football Association withdrawing its backing for the FIFA president.
Masters told BBC Sport that FIFA had created the crisis itself by pursuing the proposal and now faced the consequences of that decision. He argued that FIFA, as a nonprofit organization, should safeguard the World Cup for the future of the sport rather than consider selling an ownership interest in the competition.
Masters also backed the English FA‘s decision to distance itself from Infantino and suggested that a challenger could emerge before next year’s FIFA presidential election. He said any consensus candidate should pursue broader reforms at FIFA, potentially including changes to the powers and responsibilities of the presidency.
Opposition to Infantino has continued to spread, with Israel becoming the latest UEFA member association to withdraw its support.
Meanwhile, UEFA vice president Laura McAllister criticized FIFA‘s dismissal of chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, saying his departure raised serious concerns for those seeking institutional change at the organization.
FIFA announced Lamour’s departure Monday, a little more than two weeks after he publicly criticized the handling of Infantino‘s private investment proposal. Lamour said FIFA’s administration had been misled over the initiative and characterized it as being driven primarily by Infantino.
His comments followed the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro on the same day, adding to the pressure surrounding the FIFA president.
McAllister, a former Wales captain who previously worked alongside Lamour at UEFA, defended him as a principled and independent sports executive willing to challenge FIFA‘s leadership.
She said removing Lamour weakened FIFA’s administration at a time when the organization had an opportunity to change its culture and place greater emphasis on sporting values and good governance rather than commercial considerations.
McAllister also argued that international soccer needs leaders prepared to act independently and challenge those in authority when necessary, warning that Lamour‘s departure could discourage officials seeking reform within FIFA.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)
