Carlos Cordeiro Resigns as Adviser to Gianni Infantino
Former United States Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro has stepped down from his role as senior adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, describing the proposed sale of stakes in the FIFA World Cup’s commercial operations as “a bad deal” for football.
Growing Opposition from Major Confederations
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on July 31 that it “stands in solidarity” with UEFA and Concacaf, insisting the proposal cannot achieve the broad consensus needed to move forward. The AFC emphasized that the World Cup’s strength lies in the participation of all confederations and leading football nations, warning that any plan threatening its unity must be reconsidered.
Impact on the Investor Proposal
UEFA represents 55 member associations, Concacaf 35, and the AFC 46. If their members vote in line with their confederations’ positions, the plan would face 136 votes against it out of FIFA’s 211 members — far more than the simple majority of 106 required for approval. This makes the prospect of the investor plan passing highly unlikely.
FIFA’s Response
Despite the mounting criticism, FIFA has rejected the concerns and stated it will continue consulting stakeholders over the investor plan. The governing body maintains that dialogue is ongoing, even as three of football’s biggest confederations stand united against the proposal.
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