FIFA Executive Raises Concerns Over World Cup Plan
Kevin Lamour, FIFA‘s chief operating officer, has stated that staff were deceived regarding President Gianni Infantino‘s plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private equity funds. Lamour suggested that this project should not proceed, issuing a statement that defended his colleagues amidst the controversy.
In his statement to a news agency, Lamour, a long-time associate of Infantino at both FIFA and UEFA, indicated that staff were “deceived” by a lack of transparency in the planning of the sale. He added that staff “deserve better than contempt and intimidation,” and described the initiative as “the project of one person.”
Lamour emphasized that the project must not go ahead and called for football leaders to address the situation appropriately. He also noted that he would understand if his stance led to the loss of his position, stating he had a duty to his colleagues.
Resignation and Opposition to the Proposal
Lamour‘s comments followed the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino and former president of the US Soccer Federation. Cordeiro urged other senior FIFA staff to voice their concerns, stating his opposition to the plan to sell a stake in the World Cup.
Cordeiro clarified that he had no involvement in the proposal and unequivocally opposed it, describing the commercial subsidiary as “a bad deal for football.” He highlighted that FIFA already possesses substantial financial resources, including billions in reserves and no debt.
He also mentioned FIFA‘s revenue over the last four years, which was linked to the men’s World Cup. Cordeiro argued that selling a permanent stake in football’s valuable asset to raise funds makes little sense, suggesting it would be “mortgaging football’s future without any compelling justification.”
Infantino‘s proposal involves spinning off FIFA‘s commercial operations, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and Club World Cups, into a subsidiary with a portion owned by private investors. The “anchor investor” for this plan is described as Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Donald Trump‘s son-in-law.
Cordeiro, who worked with Infantino for five years, expressed hope that other dedicated colleagues would speak up, asserting that decisions of this magnitude should serve the interests of football, not just those who stand to profit.
UEFA’s Unified Rejection
In a separate development, UEFA and its 55 national associations have collectively rejected FIFA‘s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. They stated that the World Cup should not be treated as an investment product, emphasizing its legacy built by players, national teams, and supporters.
UEFA criticized the proposal for being conceived in secret and brought close to approval without meaningful consultation, calling it a “profound failure of leadership” and an “abdication of FIFA‘s duty.” They described the situation as an ultimatum for national associations, characterizing it as “governance by intimidation.”
The European football body warned that external investors acquiring ownership interests would permanently alter football, making commercial return and investor expectations primary drivers for future decisions. UEFA declared that this model has no place in world football and that football’s future cannot be dictated by those whose main duty is to maximize financial returns.
UEFA‘s position is clear: they will not legitimize this model. As a result of their discussions, UEFA national teams will not participate in any FIFA competition as long as these proposals are active, unless they are entirely abandoned and binding assurances are given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership. Infantino has been president of FIFA for more than 10 years.
Source: aljazeera.com
