'Bad deal for football' - Infantino adviser resigns over FIFA Forward Enterprise

A senior adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Carlos Cordeiro, has resigned in protest against the governing body's controversial proposal to create a new investment subsidiary and sell a minority stake in its commercial assets.

Cordeiro, a former banker who had advised Infantino since 2021, announced his immediate departure on Friday, saying he could no longer support a plan he believes could have serious long-term consequences for world football.

His resignation represents another major blow to FIFA as opposition to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) continues to grow among football's leading continental confederations.

The FFE plan would involve FIFA creating a new commercial subsidiary responsible for assets including broadcasting rights, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing.

A minority stake would then be sold to private investors, with the move expected to generate billions of dollars in additional funding.

Cordeiro, however, believes FIFA should not surrender any ownership of what he considers football's most valuable commercial asset.

"I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup," Cordeiro said.

He added, "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."

After 35 years in banking, he questioned why FIFA would need to sell part of its commercial assets when the organisation already has substantial financial reserves.

"FIFA already has access to extraordinary financial resources. The organisation sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt," he said.

According to Cordeiro, the proposal could ultimately leave future generations carrying the consequences of a decision made today.

He added, "Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football's most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense. It is mortgaging football's future without any compelling justification."

Cordeiro's resignation comes as FIFA faces mounting resistance from football's continental confederations.

UEFA has emerged as the strongest opponent of the proposal, with its 55 member associations reportedly threatening to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan is approved.

The CONCACAF and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also publicly rejected the proposal, adding further pressure on Infantino and FIFA's leadership.