SELL OUTS! PM Burnham risks Trump wrath and delivers passionate World Cup defence in face of controversial FIFA plan to SELL competition

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has torn into FIFA for being ‘sell outs’ amid their plan to sell a share of the World Cup.

World football’s governing body has unveiled a new plan to auction off a share in the competition to foreign investors - a plot that has been met with widespread criticism.

Among the critics is UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Talking to social media, he wrote: “Let me say this very directly. Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.

“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone's to sell. Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.”

PM Burnham is not the only one to have hit out in the midst of FIFA's latest plan. European football's governing body UEFA have also had their say.

A statement read: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.

“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade - especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Meanwhile, the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) released a scathing assesment. A statement on Tuesday read: “Many supporters came home from the World Cup believing FIFA couldn’t do much more to ruin everything we love about football’s greatest tournament. Less than two weeks after the final ball was kicked, they’ve shown they can always find a new low.

“Like so many across the game, we are furious. We will examine the detail as it emerges, but we will do everything in our power as fans to fight back against the long line of decisions made that seriously threaten the future of football for short-term commercial gain.

“This cannot become another step in Gianni Infantino’s attempt to reshape football without regard for supporters or the wider game. We fully support UEFA’s statement. Every governing body, national association, league, club, supporter and stakeholder now has a responsibility to stand together and protect the future of our game.”

FIFA have already issued their official plan. They confirmed that they intend to increase funding to over $10 billion (£7.49 billion). That funding would then be available to all 211 associations that are members of FIFA.

FIFA would remain as majority stakeholders of the World Cup, with private investors buying 20 to 30 per cent, and the member organisations receiving a small stake totalling 20 per cent.