A fresh crisis has erupted within FIFA after Gianni Infantino‘s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned with immediate effect over the governing body’s controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup.

 

Cordeiro, a former president of US Soccer and former Goldman Sachs vice chairman, announced his resignation in a strongly worded statement, describing the proposed deal as a threat to the future of football. He insisted he had no involvement in the proposal and said he could not remain in his position while FIFA pursued what he called an unjustifiable plan.

 

The proposal would see FIFA create a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), valued at about $20 billion, with plans to sell a 20 percent stake to private investors in exchange for approximately $4.2 billion. FIFA has maintained that the initiative is designed to unlock additional investment for the global development of football and has rejected claims that it is “selling football.”

 

According to Cordeiro, FIFA already possesses the financial strength to fund the game’s growth without relinquishing ownership of its most valuable commercial asset. He noted that the organisation has billions of dollars in reserves, no debt, and has generated approximately $15 billion in revenue between 2022 and 2026, making the proposed transaction difficult to justify.

 

He also questioned the transparency surrounding the proposal, raising concerns over the speed of the process, the absence of broad consultation, and the lack of clarity on who ultimately stands to benefit. He argued that decisions of such magnitude should not be rushed without the confidence and backing of FIFA’s member associations.

 

The resignation comes as opposition to the investment plan continues to gather momentum across world football. UEFA has threatened to boycott future FIFA competitions should the proposal proceed, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have also publicly rejected the initiative.

 

Collectively, the three confederations account for 143 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, exceeding the number required to block the proposal if they maintain a united position. The growing backlash has also attracted criticism from the global players’ union, FIFPRO, which said major decisions affecting football should be reached through inclusive consultation rather than accelerated decision-making.

 

Despite the mounting resistance, FIFA has insisted consultations with its member associations will continue ahead of the September 19 voting deadline, maintaining that the process remains ongoing.

 

Cordeiro’s resignation is widely viewed as one of the strongest internal criticisms of Infantino’s leadership since the investment proposal emerged, further increasing pressure on FIFA as divisions over the future commercial direction of the World Cup continue to deepen.