Who is Carlos Cordeiro? The former Trump advisor who challenged Infantino and resigned from FIFA

The growing crisis within FIFA over Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal to open the door to outside investors has met its most unexpected critic: Carlos Cordeiro.

This is no ordinary executive. For years, Cordeiro was one of the most trusted figures inside the structure of global soccer governance. That is precisely why his immediate resignation as senior advisor to the FIFA president has sent shockwaves through the organization.

From the financial world to the top of soccer

Before transitioning into sports executive leadership, Cordeiro built a successful career at Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s premier financial institutions.

His business background eventually led him to U.S. Soccer, where he rose through the ranks to serve as federation president from 2018 to 2020. In addition to leading U.S. Soccer, he advised the Donald Trump administration on matters surrounding the 2026 World Cup.

Infantino’s right-hand man

After stepping down as U.S. Soccer president, Cordeiro remained embedded within global soccer’s inner circle of power.

He served as a senior advisor to Gianni Infantino, playing a key role in several strategic FIFA projects tied to the 2026 World Cup. His influence was such that he was widely considered one of the president’s closest confidants.

That proximity is precisely why his sudden resignation caught even insider circles at FIFA completely off guard.

Why did he resign?

Cordeiro did not hold back.

“FIFA already has access to extraordinary financial resources,” he wrote in his resignation letter.

He also warned that “selling a permanent stake in soccer’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense.”

To the former U.S. soccer chief, the plan is tantamount to mortgaging the sport’s future for short-term gain.

“I do not support that proposal,” he concluded.

A warning that shakes global soccer

The most scathing line from his resignation letter underscores the full magnitude of the rift:

“FIFA’s responsibility is not to maximize commercial profits at any cost, but to protect and strengthen soccer for future generations. When those principles collide, soccer must come first.”

Cordeiro’s words carry distinct weight coming from someone who helped build FIFA’s recent financial expansion.

His departure sends an unmistakable message: this debate is no longer strictly financial. For one of American soccer’s most influential figures, the proposal represents a defining choice that could shape the trajectory of the sport for decades to come.

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