FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces an escalating leadership crisis as senior officials resign and continental soccer bodies boycott his proposed $20 billion commercial subsidiary. The plan to sell a minority stake in future World Cup profits has triggered fierce resistance across Europe, North America, and Asia ahead of a critical September 19 voting deadline.
The push to commercialize soccer’s most valuable tournament has fractured FIFA’s internal leadership and alienated global confederations. Gianni Infantino’s proposal involves spinning off broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing rights into a separate entity valued at $20 billion, with a 20 percent stake sold to private equity investors backed by New York investment firm Thrive Eternal, which was created by Joshua Kushner.
While FIFA maintains that the organization would keep control over tournament scheduling, governance, and regulatory decisions, the plan has sparked immediate pushback from top executives who argue the governing body is mortgaging the sport’s future without justification.
Carlos Cordeiro Resigns and Condemns the Private Equity Plan
The internal revolt intensified when Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino and former president of the U.S. Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker who represented FIFA on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, distanced himself completely from the initiative.
“Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally.”
Carlos Cordeiro, former FIFA senior adviser and former U.S. Soccer Federation president
Cordeiro questioned the financial logic of surrendering permanent ownership to raise $4.2 billion when FIFA generated $15 billion over the last four-year cycle tied to the men’s World Cup. He noted that the organization sits on billions of dollars in reserves with zero debt while pointing to his 35 years of banking experience. Cordeiro urged other senior staff to speak out against a project he described as a bad deal for the sport.
Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour Warns Staff Were Deceived
Hours after Cordeiro’s resignation, FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour issued a blunt statement from Zurich asserting that staff members were deceived by Infantino’s lack of transparency over recent months. Lamour, a long-time colleague of Infantino who has served in his post since 2024, defended his co-workers against intimidation and labeled the initiative the project of a single person.
Although Lamour did not step down immediately, the French official stated he was prepared to lose his job for standing up for his colleagues.
Continental Boycotts and the Asian Football Confederation’s Intervention
External resistance proved equally severe. All 55 member associations of UEFA unanimously confirmed they would vote against the proposal and announced a boycott of all FIFA competitions in protest. CONCACAF, overseeing soccer in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, signaled its 35 votes would also oppose the measure over a lack of due process.
The Asian Football Confederation subsequently joined the opposition, delivering what a senior soccer official described to the Telegraph as a “killer punch” to the deal. While the AFC did not mention Infantino by name, its governing statement criticized FIFA’s consultation process and called for an urgent governance review.
“Rather, it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed.”
Asian Football Confederation
To pass the plan, Infantino requires a majority of 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 member associations by the September 19 voting deadline. Associations have already signaled approximately 131 opposing votes based on public positions and regional statements.
Political Pressure and Next Steps for the Presidency
FIFA pushed back against the criticism by blaming media reporting for disrupting the consultation process, insisting it would proceed so members could vote based on facts according to the network’s reporting.
With a presidential election scheduled for next March in Rabat, Morocco, FIFA has set a November 18 deadline for potential challengers to declare their candidacies. Infantino had appeared certain to run unopposed for a final term until the private equity dispute galvanized opposition across the global game.
Worth a look
