Ex-FA boss: England should boycott next World Cup unless Fifa is radically reformed

The English Football Association should encourage other European nations to boycott the next World Cup unless Fifa is radically reformed, a former FA chairman has said.

David Bernstein said "drastic" action was needed against the "totalitarian" set-up at Fifa in the wake of a much-criticised report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

He said he believed a boycott of the tournament would be supported by the English public.

Bernstein said Fifa reminded him of the "old Soviet empire", describing it as "beyond ridicule".

The 71-year-old told the BBC that Fifa was "going from bad to worse", and that it was time to take a stand to stop the credibility of football "suffering enormously".

But Bernstein, who stepped down as FA chief in July 2013 after three years in the role, warned that England would be "laughed at" if it attempted to influence change on its own.

"I think England within Uefa undoubtedly have the power to influence Fifa, but to do so they would have to consider withdrawing from the World Cup, the next World Cup, unless proper reform - including Mr Blatter not standing [for a fifth term] - is carried out at Fifa.

"If I was at the FA now, I would do everything I could to encourage other nations within Uefa - and there are some who would definitely be on side, others may be not - to take this line.

"At some stage you have to walk the talk, stop talking and do something."

"I think it would be supported by responsible people in this country and actually by the public, because although the public of course want to see England play in the World Cup, I'm sure they would be prepared to take a degree of sacrifice to see that happen."