😠 FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro has released a damning statement after resigning in protest over his boss’s World Cup sell-off plan.
🗣️ “As a senior adviser to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup.
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.
“Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away. That is why this proposal should be rejected.
“FIFA already has access to extraordinary financial resources. The organisation sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt. The FIFA President himself has highlighted the $15 billion in revenue generated between 2022 and 2026.
“If Member Associations believe additional investment is needed to develop the game, FIFA already has the financial capacity to provide that support from its existing resources.
“Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2bn makes little sense. It is mortgaging football’s future without any compelling justification.
“Such economic success was not accidental. It was delivered by experienced football professionals who shattered FIFA’s commercial records. Yet despite those achievements, FIFA is now being asked to believe that outside investors are needed to unlock greater value.
“I do not accept that proposition. The people who built this success have already demonstrated that FIFA possesses the expertise to continue growing both the game and its commercial future.”