November 7, 2026
On Friday, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced the resignation of the head of legal and compliance affairs, the Spanish Emilio Garcia Silverio, after an eight-year career during which he worked alongside the federation’s president, Gianni Infantino.
FIFA explained in an official statement that Garcia’s decision comes from his desire to start a new phase in his career and return to his homeland, Spain, after spending 15 years of continuous work outside the country in the international football sector.
During his tenure, the resigned official oversaw disciplinary issues, player transfer rules, and contractual disputes. He also successfully led the transfer of the International Federation’s legal team from the headquarters in Zurich to the American city of Miami in 2023.
For his part, Garcia described his work at FIFA as a “dream,” directing his thanks and appreciation to his co-workers, and noting that the time has come to return and settle with his family in the capital, Madrid.
This resignation coincides with a period in which the Infantino administration is witnessing widespread criticism, against the backdrop of the controversial project to sell shares of the commercial rights to the World Cup tournaments to private investors, which was later withdrawn following widespread international objections.
The American newspaper “The New York Times” reported that Garcia had voted to move forward with that project during an internal vote among senior officials, although the “FIFA” statement did not explicitly link his resignation to this issue.
Garcia’s departure increases the extent of the successive changes witnessed by the International Federation’s senior management, at a time when the pressures surrounding Infantino continue against the backdrop of his management style and the commercial decisions he has taken recently.
