Sheffield Home of Football calls for discussion over alternative World Cup amid FIFA controversy
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is reportedly planning to sell shares of the World Cup to private investors
Sheffield Home of Football trustee Steve Wood has condemned FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to seek private investment in its competitions which include the World Cup.
His comments come after FIFA’s announcement on Tuesday (July 28) that it was seeking to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would bring together the sale of the body’s commercial rights - including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing - with the operational delivery of its tournaments.
The idea has already been publicly slammed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said: “Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.”
Steve agreed with the Prime Minister.
He said: “Nobody should have the right to sell football.
“It is concerning, football was originally codified in Sheffield and has always been the people’s game. The codification isn’t controlled by FIFA although they control the World Cup.”
Steve’s comments come amid reports that European football governing body UEFA is discussing boycotting future World Cups if Gianni Infantino pushes ahead with plans.
Sky News reports that a series of European nations will hold an emergency meeting virtually this week to discuss their opposition to FIFA's latest proposal.
Steve shares UEFA’s concerns and has even suggested that nations could work together to start their own version of the World Cup.
He explained: “I think people should be looking at the idea of organising another World Cup.
“A version that is better structured, more democratic and potentially less controversial. Football is owned by the people.”
Steve explains that since the beautiful game was first formed in Sheffield back in 1858 there has been many different versions of the World Cup - with the earliest taking place in 1888 - contested between Scottish Cup winners Renton FC and English FA Cup winners West Bromwich Albion - almost 42 years before the first official FIFA version of the international tournament in 1930 when Uruguay triumphed on home soil.
“Nobody actually owns the game Sheffield originally gifted to the world,” Steve added.
“FIFA only really has a say on its version of the World Cup. Nothing else. Other types of World Cups have and can exist and if all the associations got together and made their own, that could quickly become the one that everyone wants to win.”