British politicians are calling for the English Football Association to withdraw from FIFA: they say they no longer serve football and its fans.

According to Goal.com, the British Liberal Democrats are calling on the Football Association and UEFA to withdraw from FIFA, accusing them of "undermining the credibility of this beautiful sport."

Sir Ed David, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, said that FIFA no longer serves football and fans, but has repeatedly made decisions that damage the credibility of the sport. Therefore, national football associations should unite to establish a more honest, transparent, and truly fan-centric governing body.

The trigger for this appeal was a series of controversial decisions made by FIFA during this World Cup. The most notable was FIFA's decision to overturn a one-match suspension imposed on American striker Balogun after intervention from US President Trump. UEFA expressed strong dissatisfaction, arguing that the decision "crossed a red line," was "unprecedented, incomprehensible, and utterly illegitimate," and further exacerbated tensions between the two sides during the World Cup.

In addition, FIFA has faced controversy over rising ticket prices due to its dynamic pricing system for the World Cup and criticism regarding the water break arrangements during matches. It is estimated that these water break arrangements could generate up to $250 million (approximately £189 million) in additional advertising revenue for FIFA. Furthermore, FIFA's handling of the situation where Somali referee Omar Altan was unable to officiate at the World Cup due to his inability to enter the United States has also drawn criticism.

The Liberal Democratic Party believes that this series of events has clearly demonstrated that FIFA has "crossed the red line."

In response to external criticism, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the ticket pricing policy, stating that ticket prices for this World Cup were comparable to those of other major sporting events in the United States.

Currently, FIFA has 211 member associations and is responsible for organizing the World Cup. As a FIFA member, the English Football Association would automatically lose its eligibility to participate in the World Cup if it withdrew from FIFA.

Ed David stated that national football associations must work together to promote football governance reform. He said, "The only way out is for the English FA to take the lead and coordinate with other European football organizations to withdraw from FIFA." He also accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of "repeatedly crossing the line" and "allowing corporations to greedily exploit fans, damaging the credibility of this beautiful sport."

Ed David concluded by calling on UEFA to withdraw from FIFA and cooperate with other continental football federations to establish a cleaner, more transparent new governance system that truly prioritizes the interests of fans.