A full statement has been issued as Carlos Cordeiro quits as Gianni Infantino’s senior adviser at FIFA in protest at proposals.
Cordeiro had stepped down with immediate effect as backlash continues over plans to sell a stake in the World Cup, calling it “a bad deal for football”.
An emergency meeting was held on Thursday afternoon with all UEFA countries becoming the first to unanimously support a boycott, in protest at FIFA’s plan to sell stakes in tournament to private investors.
CONCACAF – the football confederation for teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean – had an emergency meeting and its 41 nations also rejected FIFA’s sell-off proposal.
AFC – the football confederation for teams in Asia – say they also stand in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF.
Decision to appoint agency would be taken by Aug 14 and would then have 4 weeks to complete analysis – in time of the proposed Sept 19 deadline for associations to vote on selling off World Cup stake
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) July 31, 2026
Full statement Carlos Cordeiro quits as Infantino’s senior adviser at FIFA
Full statement https://t.co/apJp1BcuVr pic.twitter.com/dhAM1t4jmc
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) July 31, 2026
BREAKING: Gianni Infantino’s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, has quit in protest at moves by the FIFA president to sell off stakes in the World Cup and said it would be bad for football, Sky News can reveal.
Sky’s @RobHarris has more.https://t.co/WOEIjT4dU4
📺 Sky 501/YT pic.twitter.com/CBm4aTXixe
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 31, 2026
Full statement as Carlos Cordeiro quits as Gianni Infantino’s senior adviser at FIFA
“As a Senior Advisor 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.
“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 organization sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt. The FIFA President himself has highlighted the $15 billion 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. 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.
“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.
“Most troubling of all 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.
“FIFA’s responsibility is not to maximize 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.”
Here’s Carlos Cordeiro speaking on the legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2026…
Social media users reacted to the full statement as Carlos Cordeiro quits as Gianni Infantino’s senior adviser at FIFA…
@S24Media_: And not only has he quit, but he’s made public how much money FIFA have that could easily be reinvested into less fortunate nations across the world. Can’t wait for Infantino to go, matter of time now surely.
@CDBaker86: The house of cards is collapsing
@Calvin_256: When a former Wall Street banker explicitly tells you that your financial scheme is too dirty and a “bad deal for football,” you know you’ve reached final boss level supervillain status. Infantino is completely isolated in his own boardroom
@pokeefe1: Respect. However, it’s sad that because of another man’s greed he has to leave his job. That’s kinda fucked up.
@ralpha060461: Infantino’s ill-conceived concept, which is all about making money, has backfired and his credibility is shot to pieces. Fleecing fans over tickets. Over turning a red card. Hydration breaks in air conditioned stadiums. Increasing the number of teams competing.
@Martin_Wickham: To put this into perspective, a former Goldman Sachs banker went “too much” when he saw this plan.
@Aljeeves: Remarkable overplaying of one’s hand. Infantino’s pushed his luck for a while, but this drastic miscalculation puts his whole position as leader of world football in jeopardy. The response to his plan was predictable. To fumble the ultimate position so unnecessarily is incredible
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