European football’s governing body UEFA has reacted with fury to proposals from FIFA to seek private investment in its competitions, including the World Cup, according to the BBC. The reaction marks a fresh rupture at the top of world football.

At the centre of the dispute is a plan by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to sell shares in a new World Cup spin-off venture, according to Sky News. Al Jazeera reports the proposed vehicle has been referred to as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, and describes it as a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

The criticism has extended beyond football’s governing bodies. The BBC reports that UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also criticised the proposals, adding political weight to the objections being raised against FIFA’s plans.

The BBC has questioned whether the World Cup sell-off plan represents a step too far by Infantino, examining why the FIFA president feels powerful enough to sell off stakes in the tournament and what the consequences could be. Al Jazeera has raised the prospect of whether UEFA might respond with a boycott and whether the plan would work.

Writing in the Guardian, Paul MacInnes argued that the plan is part of a desire for expansion that has been clear from the start of Infantino’s presidency. He noted that when Infantino was first elected in 2016 following a shock victory, his core message was to expect a “very significant increase” in funding, and that his drive to grow professional football and its revenues has always been central to his pitch.

The Guardian also reported that FIFA announced the plans without consultation, a point that has contributed to the strength of feeling among football’s leaders. MacInnes cited descriptions of Infantino by leaders within football, including that “he thinks he’s running a nation state.”