FIFA president abandons World Cup sell-off after Trump denies involvement and backlash mounts

Gianni Infantino has scrapped his controversial plan to sell broadcasting and commercial rights to the World Cup in a single package, admitting the proposal created divisions within football. Sky News and the Daily Mail report the FIFA president made what the Mail terms an embarrassing U-turn, now promising to unite the sport again.

The proposal had triggered a boycott threat from UEFA and drawn intervention at the highest political level. GB News and The Mirror report Donald Trump denied speaking with Infantino about the plan when asked directly, giving what The Mirror described as a curt response. The Independent notes Trump broke his silence on the controversy that had led to the UEFA boycott threat.

The story took a stranger turn when the Daily Mail reported Andy Burnham calling for Infantino to resign, with the Prime Minister telling the FIFA president he is the wrong man to lead football. That claim sits oddly against the other stories in the cluster - none of which mention Burnham holding the office of Prime Minister, and several of which report him as Mayor of Greater Manchester until this week. The Mail carries the claim; no other outlet in the cluster does.

What to watch: whether Infantino faces further calls to step down from national football associations, and whether FIFA's governance reforms - promised after previous corruption scandals - gain momentum or stall under his continued leadership.