Gianni Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro quits in protest at FIFA chief's World Cup plan

Gianni Infantino's closest adviser has resigned in protest at the FIFA president’s attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup, exclusively telling Sky News the world must join him in speaking out against an irresponsible, “bad deal” for the future of football.

Carlos Cordeiro is the first FIFA insider to quit since controversy erupted over Mr Infantino's secret plan to launch a commercial subsidiary for its flagship tournaments with private equity investment.

Losing his senior adviser is a damning blow to the embattled president's ability to stay in power, after we also revealed on Thursday that he was rapidly losing support in world football.

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Mr Cordeiro is a heavyweight figure within FIFA, formerly the president of US Soccer and a vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs, who has been Mr Infantino's right-hand man running world football since 2021.

In an exclusive statement to Sky News, Mr Cordeiro said: "As a senior adviser 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.

"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."

When he was appointed by Mr Infantino in 2021, FIFA said it was partly because Mr Cordeiro "built a long career in business and global investment banking in Europe".

Now he has issued a scathing critique of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), the plan to sell off 20% of a new subsidiary selling rights to the World Cup to private investors in a venture valued at $20bn (£15bn).

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He questions the lack of process and Mr Infantino's apparent plan to sell off football's crown jewels on the cheap.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Cordeiro said: "Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away.

"That is why this proposal should be rejected.

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

"The FIFA president himself has highlighted the $15bn [£11.2bn] in revenue generated between 2022 and 2026. If member associations believe additional investment is needed to develop the game, FIFA already has the financial capacity to provide that support from its existing resources."

He continued: "Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football's most valuable asset to raise $4.2bn [£3.1bn] makes little sense".

Mr Cordeiro is speaking with the insight of having been Mr Infantino's right-hand man for five years - alongside him during Oval Office meetings with US President Donald Trump.

Mr Infantino claims he saved FIFA from nearly going bankrupt after the scandals and wave of arrests of football officials in 2015 that nearly brought down the entire governing body.

But Mr Cordeiro now believes Mr Infantino is the one jeopardising FIFA's future with the proposed private equity sell-off, accusing his former boss of "mortgaging football's future without any compelling justification.

"Such economic success was not accidental. It was delivered by experienced football professionals who shattered FIFA's commercial records.

"Yet despite those achievements, FIFA is now being asked to believe that outside investors are needed to unlock greater value.

"I do not accept that proposition. The people who built this success have already demonstrated that FIFA possesses the expertise to continue growing both the game and its commercial future."

He echoes concerns raised this week by the football confederations covering Europe, Asia and North America about the lack of consultation to produce such a detailed proposal before discussing with global football leaders.

"Most troubling of all," he said, "is the absence of answers to fundamental questions. Why this deal? Why now? What oversight exists? Who benefits? Was there a competitive process? What governance will be in place? What will investors ultimately gain, and at what cost to football?

"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.

"That is not a responsible way to determine the future of the world's game.

"This proposal has become a defining question for FIFA's future. After careful consideration, I can no longer continue in my role as senior advisor to the FIFA president. I have therefore resigned with immediate effect."

Sky News first revealed this week that UEFA was going to boycott the World Cup in a bid to stop FIFA pushing ahead with the FFE project, which is being sold as a plan to give members access to more development cash.

Now Mr Cordeiro hopes that by breaking ranks from within FIFA, others will voice their concerns at a time when we have learned of a growing loss of confidence in Mr Infantino among key figures in football.

He said FIFA's responsibility "is not to maximise commercial returns at any cost. It is to protect and strengthen football for future generations. When those principles come into conflict, football must come first.

"It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve FIFA for more than five years and to work alongside dedicated, principled people who care deeply about the game. I hope they, too, will speak up, because decisions of this magnitude should be made in the interests of football, not those who stand to profit from it."

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