FIFA SENIOR ADVISER QUITS AMID WORLD CUP STAKE SALE CONTROVERSY
Carlos Cordeiro, senior adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has resigned in protest over the governing body’s controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. His departure marks the latest fallout from a proposal that has already drawn fierce opposition from major football confederations.
Cordeiro confirmed his resignation on Friday, July 31, 2026, describing the deal as “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future.” His exit comes just days after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined UEFA and CONCACAF in rejecting the plan, which FIFA claims could generate more than $40 billion in revenue.
The investment group behind the proposal is led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Infantino’s close ties to Trump have already raised concerns, particularly after FIFA controversially cleared U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium despite being suspended.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has threatened a boycott of the World Cup if the plan proceeds, warning that the tournament’s strength lies in its universal participation. Both CONCACAF and AFC have echoed similar concerns, insisting that private investment risks compromising football’s integrity and turning the sport into a commodity.
Analysts say Cordeiro’s resignation intensifies pressure on Infantino, who now faces mounting resistance from within FIFA and across global football. The controversy highlights a widening divide between FIFA’s commercial ambitions and the confederations’ determination to safeguard the game’s integrity.
