Premier League chief says Infantino hit ‘self-destruct’ with World Cup plan

FILE PHOTO: “I don’t think FIFA should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup,” says Premier League Chief executive officer Richard Masters. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters says under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino pressed the “self-destruct button” over his botched plan to bring private investment into the World Cup.

Kevin Lamour, who broke ranks with senior directors at world football’s governing body last month and issued a scathing statement criticising Infantino over the plans, left his job as FIFA’s chief operating officer on Monday.

UEFA has been a vocal critic of Infantino and England’s Football Association has also withdrawn its support for the FIFA president.

“This is a problem of FIFA’s making,” Masters told the BBC.

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“This is a self-inflicted wound. The organisation has pressed the self-destruct button, and the consequences of that flow now into the solutions that need to be found.

“I don’t think FIFA should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup.

“They’re a not-for-profit organisation. They should really be holding that competition in trust for the future of football.”

Masters added: “I think it’s a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni.”

As for a possible rival to Infantino, up for re-election next year, Masters said: “I think an emerging unity candidate should have on his or her agenda reform of FIFA, and perhaps even reform of the president’s role and how it interacts with those things.”