Senior FIFA official resigns over Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan, another says staff 'deceived'

Two senior FIFA officials criticized Gianni Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan Friday with one resigning as a presidential adviser and a second saying staff were deceived by a project that must not go ahead.

Carlos Cordeiro, who represented the soccer body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, resigned in protest at the private equity plan.

"I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup," Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker, said in a statement resigning as adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino that urged other senior FIFA staff to speak out.

FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said in a statement to The Associated Press staff were "deceived" by Infantino's lack of openness planning the private investor scheme and "deserve better than contempt and intimidation."

"It is the project of one person," Lamour, a long-time colleague of Infantino at both FIFA and UEFA, wrote. "Not only must this project not go ahead, but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions."

Lamour did not resign the post he held since 2024 but said he had a duty to his colleagues.

'A bad deal for football': Senior FIFA adviser resigns over World Cup investment proposal

"And if that means I lose my job, then so be it" the French official said. "I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight."

Cordeiro often joined Infantino on working visits to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in recent years.

"Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally," Cordeiro, the former U.S. Soccer Federation president said, calling the $20 billion (all figures