Prime Minister Andy Burnham has issued a passionate statement defending football supporters, declaring that the sport "belongs to the people" and not to investors amid growing debate over the future of the FIFA World Cup.

In a post shared on social media, Burnham said: "Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine."

The Prime Minister went on to criticise the increasing commercialisation of football, insisting that the World Cup is "the greatest competition in world sport" and was "never anyone's to sell." He argued that regardless of how any commercial agreement is presented, "once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out."

Burnham concluded his statement with a clear message to supporters around the world: "Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will." His comments are likely to resonate with many fans who have voiced concerns over the growing influence of investors and commercial interests in the game.