Cordeiro Resigns Over FIFA Investor Plan
Former United States Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro has stepped down as an adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, labelling the proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup’s commercial operations “a bad deal” for football.
His resignation came just hours after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced its opposition, joining UEFA and Concacaf in a unified stance against the investor plan.
Three Confederations Unite Against the Proposal
The AFC stated it “stands in solidarity” with its European and North‑American counterparts, arguing that the proposal cannot achieve the broad consensus needed to move forward. It emphasized that the World Cup’s strength lies in the participation of all confederations and leading football nations, and warned that any plan threatening the tournament’s universal character must be reconsidered.
Vote Outlook Becomes Bleak for Infantino
FIFA’s plan would require a simple majority of 106 votes from its 211 member associations. With UEFA representing 55 members, Concacaf 35 and the AFC 46, a bloc of 136 associations could vote against the proposal if they follow their confederations’ positions, making approval highly unlikely.
FIFA Responds to Criticism
Despite the growing backlash, FIFA has dismissed the criticism and said it will continue consulting stakeholders on the investor stake initiative.
