Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has accused embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino of pressing the “self-destruct button” over failed plans to sell stakes in the World Cup.
Infantino is fighting to stay in his job following huge backlash to his intention to sell a minority stake in FIFA tournaments to private investors.
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UEFA has become his main detractor, with the English Football Association withdrawing its support for Infantino.
“This is a problem of FIFA’s making,” Masters told BBC Sport.
“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.
“I think it’s a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni [Infantino].”
On a potential rival to Infantino’s re-election next year, Masters added: “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.”
