FIFA President's Senior Advisor Resigns in Protest Over World Cup Sale Plans

Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has resigned from his position in protest against the international football governing body's plans to sell stakes in the World Cup product to private investors. Cordeiro, formerly the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, stated his opposition unequivocally.

In a statement obtained by Reuters, Cordeiro described the project as "a bad deal for football." He emphasized that he had no involvement in the proposal and fundamentally opposes it. Cordeiro's resignation signals a significant internal disagreement within FIFA regarding its commercial strategies.

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Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I unequivocally oppose it.

Cordeiro argues that FIFA, which currently holds billions of dollars in reserves, has no financial necessity to sell off portions of its lucrative World Cup rights. He believes the organization's strong financial position makes such a move unwarranted and potentially detrimental to the sport's long-term interests.

The move highlights a tension between FIFA's commercial ambitions and concerns about preserving the integrity and accessibility of its flagship tournament. Cordeiro's departure suggests that not all stakeholders within the organization are aligned with the proposed commercialization strategy.

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a bad deal for football.