Senior FIFA official resigns over Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan

Two senior FIFA officials criticized Gianni Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan Friday with one resigning as a presidential adviser and a second saying staff were deceived by project that must not go ahead. Carlos Cordeiro, who represented the soccer body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, resigned in protest at the private equity plan. "I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup," Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker, said in a statement resigning as adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that urged other senior FIFA staff to speak out. At least I'll sleep well tonight." Cordeiro often joined Infantino on working visits to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in recent years. "Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally," Cordeiro, the former U.S.

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Scoop News DeskFrench · Published Friday, July 31, 2026 at 3:11 PM UTCUpdated Friday, July 31, 2026 at 7:54 PM UTC

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Soccer Federation president said, calling the $20 billion commercial subsidiary "a bad deal for football." "Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away" he said. "That is why this proposal should be rejected." RELATED STORY | FIFA's Infantino sets deadline to members in Kushner-backed World Cup plan Infantino has proposed spinning off FIFA's commercial businesses — including World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women — into a $20 billion subsidiary with 20% owned by private investors.

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