A senior adviser to Gianni Infantino resigned hours after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) published a statement opposing his plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors. The AFC's statement, backed by its counterparts in Europe and North/Central America/Caribbean, claims that Infantino's proposal could undermine the unity of the World Cup and must be reconsidered. According to Concacaf, Uefa, and AFC voting power, 136 nations are likely opposed to Infantino's plan if their governing bodies stick to their stance. The resignation of Carlos Cordeiro marks the first time a senior figure at Fifa has quit over this issue, with Cordeiro calling Infantino's proposal "a bad deal for football" that would "mortgage football's future".
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
A senior adviser to Gianni Infantino resigned hours after a third confederation opposed the Fifa president's plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.
asserted
confederation → publish → investors
Carlos Cordeiro said Infantino's proposal was "a bad deal for football" and would "mortgage football's future".
asserted
proposal → say → future
Cordeiro's resignation came after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) published a statement saying it "stands in solidarity" with its counterparts in Europe and North, Central America and the Caribbean.
asserted
it → come → Europe
The AFC added Infantino's plan could not "realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward".
uncertain
plan → add → consensus
"The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations," it said.
asserted
it → derive → Confederations
"Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."
asserted
that → risk → competition
The AFC's statement means Infantino's plans are unlikely to be approved by Fifa members if put to a vote.
asserted
plans → mean → vote
Infantino had indicated the proposals would need a straight majority to go through - meaning 106 of its 211 members needed to vote in favour for the proposal.
asserted
106 → indicate → proposal
Uefa - the body that governs European football - has 55 votes.
asserted
that → govern → votes
Concacaf, which oversees football in North, Central America and the Caribbean, has 35 and Asia has 46.
asserted
Asia → oversee → 46
Should all member associations back the stance of their governing body, that would mean 136 nations are against Infantino's plan.
asserted
nations → back → plan
What did the AFC say?
asserted
AFC → say → What
In its statement, the AFC accused Fifa of once again setting the "direction of travel" for a "significant initiative" before consulting stakeholders.
asserted
AFC → accuse → stakeholders
It said Fifa's failure to consult its member associations on the proposals had "exposed fundamental weaknesses in Fifa's consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed".
asserted
that → say → processes
The AFC also criticised Fifa for leaving "confederations, member associations and even Fifa's own governing bodies, including the Fifa Council, feeling sidelined."
It added: "The Fifa World Cup, and the game itself, belong to the entire global football family.
asserted
Cup → criticise → family
"Their future must always be shaped collectively, through institutions that reflect the voices of all Confederations and member associations.
asserted
that → shape → Confederations
The AFC calls upon Fifa to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework to ensure that proposals of global significance are developed through proper consultation, meaningful engagement and appropriate oversight by Fifa's statutory bodies.
asserted
proposals → call → bodies
"
What did Cordeiro say?
asserted
Cordeiro → say → What
He represented the world governing body on the White House taskforce for the 2026 World Cup and was a former investment banker with Goldman Sachs.
Appointed as the senior adviser on global strategy and governance in September 2021, he is the first senior figure at Fifa to resign over the plans.
asserted
he → represent → plans
In a lengthy statement, Cordeiro said he "unequivocally" opposed the plans and said he "did not accept the proposition" Fifa needed outside investors to "unlock greater value".
asserted
Fifa → say → value
"The proposal has become a defining question for Fifa's future," he wrote.
asserted
he → become → future
"Fifa's responsibility is not to maximise commercial returns at any cost.
asserted
responsibility → maximise → cost
It is to protect and strengthen football for future generations.
asserted
It → protect → generations
"When those principles come into conflict, football must come first."
asserted
football → come → conflict
Cordeiro said he had no involvement in this proposal.
asserted
he → say → proposal
"Most troubling of all is the absence of answers to fundamental questions," he added.
asserted
he → add → questions
What oversight exists?
asserted
oversight → exist → ?
Who benefits?" he wrote.
asserted
he → benefit → ?
"These questions remain largely unanswered, and yet member associations are being asked to make a decision of enormous consequence in barely 50 days or risk being left behind.
asserted
associations → remain → days
"That is not a responsible way to determine the future of the world's game."
asserted
That → determine → game
Fifa and Infantino want to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, and external investors will be able to buy stakes in it.
asserted
investors → want → it
It said it would "invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments" in a new subsidiary - Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).
asserted
it → say → subsidiary
In a 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan, it is made clear Fifa's tournaments would expand to hit an estimated increased pay-out of 24m euros per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.
asserted
tournaments → create → cycle
It mentions "new business initiatives" and "attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation".
asserted
It → mention → compensation
The World Cup is described in it as the "most widely viewed" sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is said to be "under-monetised".
asserted
Fifa → describe → contrast
If approval is granted, Fifa says Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.
asserted
Eternal → grant → FFE
Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared.
asserted
Thrive → found → son
On Thursday, Uefa voted to boycott World Cups if the Fifa plan proceeded.
asserted
plan → vote → Cups
Hours later, Concacaf, which hosted this year's World Cup, released a statement also rejecting the proposals made by Infantino.
asserted
which → host → Infantino
Fifa released a statement early on Friday vowing to continue with the plan - but added "nobody is selling football".
asserted
nobody → release → football
…and 21 more, not listed.
