FIFA: Gianni Infantino abandoned by his advisor

The resignation of Carlos Cordeiro deepens Gianni Infantino's isolation, as the FIFA president already faces opposition from several major confederations.

The dissent has now spread to within FIFA itself. Carlos Cordeiro, Gianni Infantino’s chief advisor since 2021, announced his immediate resignation. The former president of the US Soccer Federation refuses to be associated with a plan to open FIFA's commercial activities to private investors.

Carlos Cordeiro calls it a "bad deal"

"I had no part in this proposal and I am categorically opposed to it. It’s a bad thing for football," wrote the former banker on LinkedIn.

He also believes that FIFA already has enough resources to support its 211 associations without giving up a portion of its most valuable asset.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise project plans to create a commercial company valued at $20 billion. Up to 20% of its capital could be sold to raise $4.2 billion. This entity would manage the commercial activities of the World Cup and other international competitions.

"Selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense. It’s mortgaging football’s future with no convincing justification," Cordeiro added.

CAF's wait-and-see stance raises questions

UEFA, which organizes the Champions League, along with Concacaf and the Asian Confederation, have all voiced their opposition or serious concerns. Together, these three confederations represent over 140 of FIFA’s member associations. Should this united front translate into votes, Infantino’s project could be blocked.

CAF, however, has taken a very different approach. The African confederation simply announced it would review Infantino’s proposal during an executive committee meeting. It even encouraged its member associations to take part in consultations, without issuing any public criticism.

This cautious approach, while other confederations are taking a stand, does not amount to approval just yet. However, it does raise questions about the position the body responsible for organizing the AFCON will take when it comes time to vote.

See also: Brazil: Ancelotti signals the end of an era for Neymar, Danilo, and Casemiro! (Official)

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.