FIFA president Gianni Infantino's senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, has resigned in protest over the governing body's plan to seek private investment for the World Cup. Cordeiro, one of Infantino's closest advisers, said the proposal would "mortgage football's future" and was "a bad deal for football."
The resignation adds to mounting opposition from Europe's football associations, as well as CONCACAF, the governing body for North and Central America, and the Asian Football Confederation. FIFA is reportedly offering $40 million to each country that supports the project.
Meanwhile, FIFA is seeking an independent agency to assess the expansion of the men's World Cup to 64 teams, according to documents seen by the Press Association. Infantino faces increasing pressure as three confederations have rejected the investment plan, with UEFA pledging to boycott the tournament if it is passed.