FIFA Adviser Cordeiro Resigns in Protest Over Infantino’s World Cup Investment Plan
Pressure is mounting on FIFA President Gianni Infantino after his senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned on Friday in protest against a controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The resignation has deepened a growing crisis for football’s global governing body, just days after the plan was first revealed.
Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker and ex-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, had represented FIFA on the White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup, working closely alongside Infantino during meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. His departure marks a significant blow, as he was seen as part of Infantino’s trusted inner circle.
At the center of the controversy is a proposal to create a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, reportedly valued at around $20 billion, which would oversee the World Cup and other FIFA events. Under the plan, up to a 20 percent stake in the venture would be offered to external investors, potentially raising roughly $4.2 billion. Reports indicate the initiative is backed by investor Joshua Kushner.
Cordeiro argued that the move made little financial sense, pointing out that FIFA already holds billions of dollars in reserves and carries no debt, while generating around $15 billion in revenue over the past four years tied to the men’s World Cup. He said he could not stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup, and urged other senior staff within the organization to speak out against the plan as well. ESPN
FIFA has pushed back against the backlash. In a statement issued shortly after the plan became public, the organization insisted that nobody is selling football. Local 10
Opposition to the proposal has been spreading rapidly across the sport’s governing bodies. Europe’s football associations have signaled a potential boycott, while CONCACAF, the governing body for North and Central American football, has also pushed back. Most recently, Asia’s soccer confederation joined the growing resistance, aligning itself with opposition already voiced by Europe and North America.
Despite the mounting criticism, FIFA is reportedly offering $40 million to each of its 211 member countries that backs the project, with member associations facing pressure to make a decision by mid-September. Infantino has maintained that countries risk being left behind if they fail to accept the proposal.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Infantino, who has led FIFA for more than a decade and had appeared set to be re-elected unopposed when the organization’s congress convenes next March. Whether the fallout from Cordeiro’s resignation and the widening opposition will affect that trajectory remains to be seen, as FIFA continues to defend its investment strategy amid rising scrutiny from football stakeholders worldwide.
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