FIFA chief officer feels 'deceived' by Gianni Infantino's World Cup investment proposal after governing body denies 'selling football'
Updated 31/07/2026 at 20:42 GMT+1
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FIFA's chief operating officer has said he has been "deceived" by Gianni Infantino after the governing body denied that they are "selling football" amid a global backlash against the president's proposal to allow private investment in the World Cup and other tournaments through a commercial spin-off.
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UEFA threatened a boycott over the plan from Infantino following an emergency meeting of its member nations on Thursday.
FIFA wants to create a $20 billion (£14.8bn) subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run the "commercial and operational" side of the World Cup and other tournaments, and it plans to offer a stake of 20% to investors.
World football’s governing body has responded to criticism of the plan, saying it will press on with its planned consultation amid what it described as "incorrect media reports."
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But another major development in the story came on Friday when FIFA's COO Kevin Lamour told the Associated Press he felt "deceived" by Infantino. That followed Infantino's senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro confirming that he had quit over the proposal.
Lamour said: "What has been announced in recent days and what has been happening behind the scenes in recent months defies belief and imagination.
"To put it very clearly and directly: the project that has sparked so much controversy and debate is not a FIFA project. It is even less a project of FIFA's administration. It is the project of one person.
"The FIFA vice-presidents, the members of the FIFA Council, the confederations, the federations, the players, the leagues, the clubs, and the fans were not the only ones who were ignored. FIFA's own administration was also deceived.
”This lie by omission over many months and this unilateral exercise of power are not trivial. They are indicative of a lack of trust, a lack of transparency, a lack of discernment, a lack of good governance. And a serious lack of respect.
"Not only must this project not go ahead - for obvious reasons that need not even be listed here - but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.
"I know I have a duty of loyalty to my employer. But I also, and above all, have a duty of loyalty to certain values and to the upbringing I have received, and a duty to support my colleagues. And if that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight."
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Earlier on Friday FIFA said in a statement: "We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise and would like to address the issues that have surfaced since the initial media reporting on Tuesday.
"We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.
"Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA [member association] has the ability to express its vote based on facts."
UEFA, in their latest statement on the plan, stated that the World Cup was "not for sale" after all 55 member nations unanimously agreed to boycott the tournament and other competitions, including the Club World Cup, should Infantino's plan become a reality.
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"The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product," said UEFA. "It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. The World Cup is not for sale."
UEFA provided six of the eight quarter-finalists at the 2026 World Cup, where Spain ended up defeating Argentina in the final. Thirteen of the 23 World Cups have been won by European nations.
FIFA responded to European football’s governing body in its statement.
"Nobody is selling football," said FIFA. "This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.
"Everyone has the right to express their opposition and to seek further clarification but no single entity can claim to represent all 211 MAs around the world.
"Each MA should be allowed to review the proposal and have a say in shaping their own future. These are the democratic principles of FIFA."
FIFA, which brought in controversial hydration breaks for this summer's expanded World Cup and is considering growing the next tournament to 64 teams, added that external investors would not have any influence over its "governance structure".
Infantino was criticised this summer following the decision to suspend a red card for USA striker Folarin Balogun amid pressure from US president Donald Trump.
An initial deadline of September 19 was set by Infantino for national associations to approve his plan.
AFC and CONCACAF opposition
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) rejected the proposal on Thursday.
And the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) voiced its opposition to FIFA's proposal on Friday, stating that it "stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF to protect the World Cup".
A statement read: "The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all confederations and the world's leading football nations.
"Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."
AFC added that the issue had "exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed".
CONCACAF released a statement which firmly rejected the proposal, stating that all 41 of its members had held a meeting and agreed on the position.
Infantino advisor quits
In another blow to Infantino, Cordeiro, his senior advisor, has quit over the proposal.
In a statement issued to Sky News, Cordeiro said the plan was "a bad deal for football".
Cordeiro said: "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."
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Carlos Cordeiro, senior advisor to FIFA's president
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Cordeiro added that FIFA "sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt".
He went on: "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."
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