FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suffered a major setback after one of his senior advisors resigned in protest over the governing body’s proposal to sell a stake in the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup.
The resignation comes as debate continues to grow over FIFA’s plan to create a commercial subsidiary that could allow private investors to acquire shares in the business behind the tournament.
Former US Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro, who served as a senior advisor to Infantino, announced his decision on Friday, making it clear that he could not support the proposal.
“As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said.
He stressed that he played no role in developing the proposal and strongly opposed it.
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. 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,” he added.
His resignation comes just hours after FIFA reaffirmed its intention to move forward with an “open and democratic” consultation process on the controversial proposal despite growing criticism from football stakeholders.
The plan has already drawn opposition from several football bodies and officials, who argue that the World Cup should remain under football’s control rather than becoming influenced by private investment.
Source: AFP
