Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be punished by the FA after claiming that the UK has been 'colonised by immigrants' in a controversial interview. The INEOS billionaire, who part-owns Manchester United, also hinted that Nigel Farage would make a better Prime Minister than Sir Keir Starmer following a recent meeting with the Reform leader. Ratcliffe has been widely criticised for his comments with Starmer taking to social media to describe them as 'offensive and wrong'.

A statement was issued by Ratcliffe on Thursday in which he apologised for any offence caused, but the 73-year-old didn't explicitly apologise for his comments, insisting that it was important to speak up about immigration. Now, it has emerged that he could be penalised by the FA in what would be the latest twist to the tale.

The governing body will examine whether Ratcliffe's comments 'brought the game into disrepute', according to BBC Sport. A more formal investigation is yet to be approved, but the FA are believed to be looking into the matter.

The comments in question were made by the United co-owner during a recent interview with Sky News. He said: "You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in.

"I mean, the UK has been colonised. It's costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn't it? I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it's 70 million. That's 12 million people."

Ratcliffe's claim about a massive population increase in recent years was false, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that the population of the UK was 67 million in mid-2020 and 70 million in mid-2024.

The population figure was estimated at 58.9 million in 2000, well over two decades ago.

Ratcliffe, who ditched the UK and changed his tax residence to Monaco some years ago, has been unpopular and divisive figure among United fans since he purchsed a stake in the Red Devils in late 2023.

The 1958, a prominent United supporters' group, were highly critical of Ratcliffe's intervention and his decision to comment "on the issues of our country while living in Monaco to avoid paying tax".

Kick It Out, the anti-racism football campaign group, described Ratcliffe's comments as 'disgraceful and deeply divisive' in a firmly-worded statement.

They said: "In addition to the inaccurate figures mentioned, it's worth reminding him that Manchester United has a diverse fanbase and plays in a city whose cultural history has been enriched by immigrants.

"This type of language and leadership has no place in English football, and we believe most fans will feel the same."

An earlier statement from Show Racism the Red Card said: "Language of this kind echoes narratives that have historically been used to stigmatise migrant communities, fuel division, and legitimise hostility towards minority groups.

"Club influence should be used to challenge racism, not inadvertently amplify narratives that undermine community harmony."