Pressure is mounting on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to abandon a controversial proposal to privatize aspects of the World Cup. The plan, which seeks to generate up to $20 billion through a new subsidiary, has encountered significant resistance from most of the world's football governing bodies. The proposed project involves spinning off commercial operations into a subsidiary known as FFE, with 20% ownership held by private investors. Reports indicate that the primary investor would be a New York firm established by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump.
Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker and senior adviser to Infantino, announced his resignation in protest of the scheme. Cordeiro, who previously served as the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, stated, "I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup." He further clarified his position by saying, "Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally." Cordeiro’s departure has drawn increased scrutiny toward Infantino, especially given Cordeiro’s history of participating in White House meetings regarding the World Cup task force led by Andrew Guiliani.
The resistance to the privatization plan is widespread. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recently issued a statement expressing solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF, citing "serious concerns over FIFA's proposal to introduce private investment into FIFA's flagship competitions and the decision-making process around FFE." CONCACAF, which represents teams from North America, Mexico, and the United States, also formally criticized the proposal on Thursday. Members of CONCACAF expressed "deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies." Additionally, the confederation questioned the necessity of external funding following what was described as the most profitable World Cup in history.
Despite the backlash, FIFA has doubled down on its intentions. Early Friday, the organization released a statement blaming the media for disrupting its consultation process and insisted that it would continue with its plans to ensure all members could vote based on facts. This stance came shortly after FIFA had previously asserted that "nobody is selling football." The current dispute involves a majority of FIFA's 211 member associations who appear to be in opposition to the plan, which follows the successful 2026 tournament hosted jointly by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 on July 19.
Indeed, FIFA is coming off an incredibly successful World Cup jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The event saw record crowds and viewing numbers and visitors near-universally praised the venues and cities that hosted more than 100 matches over more than a month.
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