England - along with Germany, Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain and Italy - have been urged to quit FIFA after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

That's the view of former Three Lions striker Stan Collymore, who feels that football's governing body has disgraced itself with its handling of issues surrounding the tournament.

The ex-Liverpool and Nottingham Forest frontman took aim at FIFA officials in his latest column for The Mirror, arguing that the biggest nations in the game should break away from the 'corrupt' organisation.

Controversy has blighted the 22nd edition of the World Cup ever since it was awarded to the Gulf state 12 years ago - and issues have continued to overshadow the action on the pitch in the opening week of the tournament.

FIFA has been roundly criticised for its failure to live up to its own charter and protect the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community during the tournament.

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Captains of a number of nations - including England and Wales - had planned to wear the OneLove armband during World Cup matches in order to promote inclusivity in Qatar.

READ MORE: One Love armbands: Statement released as Qatar World Cup initiative is scrapped

However, this was scrapped at the last minute due to a FIFA threat that any player seen to be sporting the armband on the pitch would be immediately disciplined.

A number of similar gestures have also been halted by FIFA as it seeks to keep the Qatari government happy.

Believing that organisation is no longer fit for purpose, Collymore wants to see change.

"Once the tournament is over we really need to have a think about short-circuiting FIFA and the corruption and the juggernaut that it is. When you can see there is corruption within a government, then every four years you get an opportunity to vote them out.

"So why are we in a situation where Gianni Infantino has just been accepted as president for another four years without any challenger, how does that happen? Presidents should only be allowed to sit for one four-year period and the voting process for the role and for who gets to host World Cups needs to be absolutely transparent.

"When the World Cup is over, then, I’d love to hear the associations of England, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain and Italy say, ‘Right, that’s it, we’re boycotting FIFA until it gets its act together and introduces a proper, ethical standards charter it adheres to for giving out World Cups'.

Collymore: 'World Cup without big teams wouldn't have same appeal

"Because as much as FIFA say they administer the game, they only do it with the acquiescence of the elite nations and, let’s face it, a World Cup without at least five or six of those teams just wouldn’t have the same appeal."

The collective withdrawal of each of the world's top international sides from under the FIFA umbrella would cause total chaos. However, the reality is that confidence in the game's governing body is now seemingly at an all-time low among some of its biggest members.

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"What we have seen in the past week is that FIFA’s ethics, morals and values have gone out the window because they have sold the tournament to a country which doesn’t in some regards share the same ethics, morals and values as most of the nations at the World Cup.

“And that has happened because FIFA put the cart before the horse instead of the other way round. But by boycotting FIFA and by playing high-profile friendlies against each other instead, wearing whatever armbands they like, the big nations can make enough of a song and dance that they might just bring about some much-needed change.”

If FIFA were hoping that the uproar surrounding Qatar 2022 would die down once the action got underway, they're likely to be disappointed.


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