Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has stepped down from his position. He resigned in protest against FIFA’s plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Cordeiro, who spent five years in this role following a career in investment banking, criticized the proposal as detrimental to FIFA’s Member Associations, the sport, and its long-term future.
FIFA announced its intention to sell a significant minority stake in a new entity. This entity, a non-profit organization established to manage major events like the World Cup and Club World Cup, drew considerable backlash. European federation UEFA, along with Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), opposed the plan. UEFA even threatened to boycott the World Cup unless the proposal was discarded.
Cordeiro, representing FIFA on the U.S. government’s World Cup task force for 2026, expressed his clear opposition. “As a Senior Advisor, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by as FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” he stated. He stressed that he did not participate in the proposal and deemed it unacceptable.
He highlighted FIFA’s strong financial position, referencing the $15 billion revenue generated during the 2022 to 2026 World Cup cycle. Cordeiro questioned the necessity of selling a part of FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) for $4.2 billion to an investor group led by Thrive Eternal. These funds would go to member associations through the new FIFA Fast-Forward Programme (FFFP).
UEFA, Concacaf, and AFC initially criticized the consultation process before rejecting the proposal. On Friday, FIFA insisted that it wasn’t selling the World Cup. However, it plans to proceed with its proposal.
Cordeiro also raised concerns about the transparency and unanswered questions surrounding the deal. “Why this deal? Why now? What oversight exists? Who benefits? Was there a competitive process? What governance will be in place?” he questioned.
After careful consideration, he concluded that he could no longer serve in his role, resigning immediately. Appointed in 2021, Cordeiro served as Senior Advisor to FIFA for global strategy and governance. He had previously been the U.S. Soccer president between 2018 and 2020 but resigned amid controversy during the women’s national team’s equal pay lawsuit.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticized the proposal, calling Infantino the “wrong man” to lead FIFA, following Cordeiro’s departure. UEFA and Concacaf held separate meetings about the plans, raising questions about Infantino’s leadership.
FIFA released a statement affirming, “Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.” It emphasized that opposition is welcome but no single entity represents all 211 Member Associations globally.