Infantino’s Senior Adviser Quits Over FIFA World Cup Stake Sale Plan

Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has resigned with immediate effect in protest over plans to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup, describing the proposal as “a bad deal for football.”

Cordeiro announced his resignation on Friday, distancing himself from FIFA’s proposal to establish a $20 billion subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would manage the World Cup and other FIFA competitions while offering up to a 20 per cent stake to external investors.

“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” Cordeiro said in a statement. “It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.”

The former U.S. Soccer Federation president questioned why FIFA would seek to raise about $4.2 billion by selling part of what he called its “most valuable asset” when the governing body already has billions of dollars in reserves and no debt.

He argued that FIFA’s strong financial position makes the proposal unnecessary.

“The FIFA President himself has highlighted the $15 billion in revenue generated between 2022 and 2026. Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense,” he said.

Under the proposal, FIFA’s 211 member associations have until 19 September to decide whether to back the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise. Cordeiro warned that national associations risk being left behind if they fail to support the plan within the proposed timeframe.

Cordeiro joined FIFA as a senior adviser in 2021 after being appointed by Infantino to help develop strategic initiatives aimed at expanding the global game. Before entering football administration, he held senior positions at Goldman Sachs and previously served as vice-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

His resignation comes amid growing scrutiny of FIFA’s proposal, with critics raising concerns about private investment in the commercial future of the World Cup.