Masters backs FA stance as Fifa sell-off row deepens

Masters turns on Fifa's abandoned rights plan

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has delivered a sharp rebuke to Fifa over the body’s now-abandoned attempt to create a new company for its commercial and ticketing rights, including those attached to the World Cup.

In comments reported by BBC Sport, Masters said the idea had brought about a crisis of Fifa’s own making. He described the episode as a “self-inflicted wound” and said the organisation had “pressed the self-destruct button”.

The proposal, known as Fifa Forward Enterprise, would have placed the commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa competitions into a new structure, with 21% of it sold to a private investment company. That plan was abandoned after intense criticism from several confederations, led by Uefa.

The fallout has grown into one of the strongest tests of Gianni Infantino’s authority since he became president. Masters said he does not believe Fifa should ever contemplate selling a stake in the World Cup, arguing that the tournament should be held in trust for the future of the game rather than treated as an asset to be partially sold off.

Pressure builds around Infantino’s bid for another term

The row over Fifa’s commercial plans has widened into a broader leadership battle. Last week, Fifa and Infantino were accused of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation. The letter, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of those bodies, said the controversy was fundamentally about “the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it”.

Infantino has also retained support in other quarters. Senior executives backed him at a meeting in Morocco earlier this month, while the confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania have likewise lined up behind him.

Even so, the English Football Association has withdrawn its support, and the Premier League also backs that position. Masters said the FA had made the right call and argued that world football needs a “unity candidate” to step forward ahead of the 18 November deadline for nominations against Infantino.

At present there is no confirmed challenger to the Fifa president, who is scheduled to stand for a fourth term in March. Masters did not name anyone, but said any serious candidate should make reform of Fifa and perhaps even reform of the president’s role part of their platform.

World Cup controversy and the case for clearer review rules

Masters’ criticism was not limited to Fifa’s governance plans. He also raised concerns about an episode from the recent World Cup in North America involving USA striker Folarin Balogun.

Balogun was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during the co-hosts’ 2-0 win in the last-32. His automatic one-match ban was later suspended for a year after President Donald Trump asked Fifa to review it, allowing him to play in the last-16 against Belgium, where the United States lost 4-1.

Masters said he did not understand why Fifa does not operate a straightforward red-card review process similar to the one used in the Premier League. He said the governing body should think more carefully about how such decisions are handled, especially given Fifa’s stated commitment to non-political interference in the game.

The tournament itself ended with European champions Spain beating Argentina in the final, but the Balogun case has continued to be cited as one of the more controversial moments.

A new Premier League season, and familiar off-field questions

Masters’ comments came in a wide-ranging interview before the new Premier League season begins on Friday, with Arsenal hosting promoted Coventry. This campaign brings a record number of new permanent managers into the division, even as Arsenal defend their title and several rivals adjust to different voices in the dugout.

He said the league is entering an era that will be difficult to predict, but defended its strength and depth. Masters pointed to an independent ranking of the world’s top 100 players and said the Premier League contains nearly half of them. He added that 11 of the 13 English players in that group play in England’s top flight.

The league’s officials are also still dealing with major disciplinary issues away from the pitch. Chelsea were fined £10m and handed a suspended ban on registering new players for two transfer windows after admitting breaches linked to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022. Their separate six-point deduction, suspended until 30 June 2027, was set aside on appeal.

Masters said that case was very different from Profitability and Sustainability Rules matters. He noted that Chelsea’s new owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, self-reported 74 breaches when they bought the club in 2022, and said the club’s case had been resolved through a sanction agreement overseen by a commission.

By contrast, Manchester City are still waiting for a ruling on more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. The club deny wrongdoing, and the independent commission has not yet published its decision, despite a disciplinary hearing ending more than a year and a half ago. Masters said the delay is longer than expected, but insisted the league must allow the process to run its course.