The FA Must Withdraw Membership of FIFA to Force Change

FIFA, the World’s governing body for Association Football, and particularly its Executive Board has been at the centre of numerous allegations of bribery and corruption in recent years. The Executive Board, which wields almost total control over one of the most popular and widely televised participation and spectator sports in the World, behaves in an autocratic and undemocratic manner with no transparency about its governing process and almost total impunity for members of it’s leadership and management teams. Whilst no-one will resent the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting to Russia and Qatar, the process of selecting the nations to host these competitions once again identified flaws in the way FIFA manages ‘the beautiful game’. Roger Burden, the acting Chairman of the Football Association for England, recently withdrew his candidacy for the role on a permanent basis because he feels he cannot trust FIFA’s leadership and, in particular, the Executive Board members. Mr Burden must be commended for this but his action alone will not be sufficient to influence the revolutionary change needed to protect the future of this wonderful sport or prevent corrupt or incompetent leaders profiteering from it. What is needed is a substantial and distinctive course of action to ‘force’ change and ensure reform of FIFA. Please sign this petition and demonstrate to the Football Association that you support it taking positive action by withdrawing England’s membership of FIFA until such time that FIFA is reformed and establishes democratic and transparent procedures involving all member associations and not a select group based in Zurich. This is especially important on matters such as significant changes to the laws of the game and the award of competition hosting. Whilst such action may result in the exclusion of the English national team from international competitions, including the European Championship and the World Cup, and English clubs from European football, it is essential to force the change and the step change required at FIFA. As Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, said ‘England is the motherland of football’. Having nurtured the child and given it to the World to enjoy England must now do whatever is required to protect the future of the game for the benefit of the World and not for the benefit of a few senior officials. The Football Association of England must follow Mr Roger Burden’s lead and withdraw membership of FIFA.