FIFA officials resign and defect over Infantino World Cup privatization plan

Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker and ex-U.S. Soccer president who spent five years working alongside Gianni Infantino at FIFA, resigned as the organization's presidential adviser on Friday in protest of a $20 billion World Cup commercial restructuring plan, according to ESPN's reporting. In a separate statement, Kevin Lamour, FIFA's chief operating officer since 2024, declared that staff were "deceived" by Infantino's handling of the proposal and warned that "it is the project of one person."

Cordeiro's resignation and Lamour's public defection represent the highest-ranking internal revolt yet against Infantino's scheme to spin off FIFA's commercial businesses, including the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cups, into a private subsidiary with a $20 billion valuation. The plan would cede 20% ownership to private investors, anchored by a New York investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

In his resignation statement, Cordeiro said he "cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup" and rejected the proposal "unequivocally." He argued the deal makes no financial sense: FIFA generated $15 billion in revenue over the last four years tied to the men's World Cup that ended this year and "already has access to extraordinary financial resources. The organization sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt." Selling a permanent stake to raise $4.2 billion, he stated, amounts to "mortgaging football's future without any compelling justification."

Lamour, who has worked alongside Infantino at both FIFA and UEFA, went further in his public challenge. He told the organization that staff were misled about the proposal's development and called for football leaders to "ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions." He added: "Not only must this project not go ahead, but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions." When asked whether his statement risked his position, Lamour stated: "And if that means I lose my job, then so be it."

The resignations come as opposition spreads beyond FIFA's internal ranks. The Asian Football Confederation, representing 46 of FIFA's 211 member nations, announced it "stands in solidarity" with UEFA and CONCACAF, the continental bodies that have already opposed the plan. Combined, UEFA and CONCACAF represent roughly 90 member nations, or near a majority of FIFA's global total. The Asian body stated "Football should never have been placed in such a position." CONMEBOL, South America's confederation, requested detailed information on the proposal's scope, governance structure, and overall impact before taking a position.

At the White House on Friday, President Trump told reporters he had not spoken to Infantino about the proposal when asked directly. Infantino has held the FIFA presidency for more than a decade and is expected to run unopposed for reelection next March. The organization set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to file for the presidential election.