\n 2026-07-31T22:38:08+00:00<\/p>\n
font<\/p>\n
Enable Reading Mode<\/p>\n
\n A-
\n A
\n A+\n <\/p>\n
Shafaq News<\/p>\n
Opposition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino\u2019s proposed $20
\nbillion tournament venture spread inside the governing body on Friday, with
\nChief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour accusing its leadership of deceiving
\nemployees and senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigning in protest.<\/p>\n
Lamour described FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) as the \u201cOur mission is to serve football, not to serve the personal Cordeiro, a former US Soccer Federation president and FIFA He described the project as \u201ca bad deal\u201d for FIFA\u2019s member FIFA Defends Tournament Company<\/p>\n FIFA stated that it would continue consulting its 211 member \u201cNobody is selling football,\u201d the governing body declared, Under the proposal, FFE would combine FIFA\u2019s tournament Reuters reported that Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle
\n\u201cproject of one person\u201d and argued that staff had been misled over plans to
\nbring private investors into the commercial and operational business of the
\nWorld Cup and other FIFA<\/a> competitions.<\/p>\n
\ninterests of a person who, unfortunately, believes he embodies FIFA when he is
\nsupposed to be at its service,\u201d Lamour wrote in a statement shared with the
\nAssociated Press.<\/p>\n
\nsenior adviser for global strategy and governance, resigned immediately,
\nstating that he had not helped prepare the proposal and opposed it
\n\u201cunequivocally.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nassociations and football\u2019s long-term future, questioning why the governing
\nbody would permanently sell part of its tournament business to raise $4.2
\nbillion despite holding substantial reserves, carrying no debt and generating
\nabout $15 billion between 2022 and 2026.<\/p>\n
\nassociations and blamed what it described as inaccurate reporting for
\ndisrupting the process.<\/p>\n
\naffirming that the project would not proceed without majority support from its
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
\noperations and commercial activities in a subsidiary valued at about $20
\nbillion. Private investors could acquire non-controlling stakes totaling up to
\n20%, generating as much as $4.2 billion, while FIFA would retain control over
\nsporting regulations, competition formats and governance.<\/p>\n
\nlinked to Joshua Kushner\u2019s Thrive Capital, was expected to lead the proposed
\ninvestor group.<\/p>\n