Fifa executive joins Burnham in questioning Infantino over stake sale plan
Fifa president Gianni Infantino faces mounting pressure as his chief operating officer and the UK Prime Minister heavily criticize plans to sell stakes in tournaments to private investors.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Fifa's COO strongly criticizes Infantino's tournament stake-sale plan.
- The Asian Football Confederation joins Europe and Concacaf in opposing the proposals.
- Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigns in protest over the commercial direction.
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham calls Infantino the wrong man to lead Fifa.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino's position came under intense scrutiny on Friday when the governing body's chief operating officer launched a strong critique against his controversial plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors, though the lengthy statement did not mention Infantino by name.
The pushback arrived on the exact same day that a third continental confederation publicly spoke out against the proposals, a senior adviser to Infantino handed in his resignation, and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham labeled the Swiss official as "the wrong man" to lead Fifa.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, addressing the sweeping proposals for the very first time, noted that he had not spoken directly with Infantino regarding the plans, despite developing a close relationship since taking office for a second term in 2025.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Fifa and Infantino aim to establish a commercial subsidiary named Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) to run core events like the World Cup, allowing external investors to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes. A 25-page document prepared by investment bank JP Morgan outlines tournament expansion targeting an increased payout of 24m euros per member association during the 2035-2039 cycle, though the women's game receives zero mentions.
"Our mission - the mission of the hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary Fifa employees - is to serve football. A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite."
Mattias Lamour
Chief Operating Officer Mattias Lamour, who joined Fifa in November 2024 after serving as Uefa's deputy general secretary, stated in his leaked remarks that recent announcements defy belief, adding that his primary loyalty lies with core values and his colleagues rather than his employer. Concurrently, Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker and US Soccer president who served as a Fifa senior adviser for nearly five years, stepped down, asserting that Fifa's duty is to protect football rather than maximize commercial returns at all costs.
Context and Analysis: The proposal to bring in private equity groups such as Thrive Eternal—founded by Joshua Kushner—represents a profound commercial shift for world football. The coordinated resistance from internal executives and major confederations like the AFC, Uefa, and Concacaf highlights deep-seated industry fears that aggressive commercialization could sideline the universal sporting values and governance integrity of global football tournaments.
Source: BBC Sport
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