FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has departed the organisation, only weeks after challenging President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell part of FIFA’s tournament operations, including the World Cup, to outside investors.
FIFA confirms Lamour’s departure
FIFA said Lamour’s employment relationship with the governing body ended on 17 August 2026.
In a brief statement, the organisation thanked him for completing two years in the role and wished him well in his future career. FIFA added that it would not comment further on the circumstances surrounding his exit.
Public criticism of Infantino’s proposal
Lamour had spoken out against the plan the previous month. He claimed FIFA employees had been misled about the proposal and characterised it as the work of a single individual.
In a statement at the time, Lamour said FIFA’s responsibility was to serve football rather than the personal interests of anyone who regarded himself as FIFA’s embodiment instead of someone working in its service.
Opposition to a proposed $20bn business arm
Lamour’s intervention followed the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino. Cordeiro stepped down several hours earlier in protest, describing the proposed arrangement as a poor deal for football.
The dispute reflected growing internal and external resistance to a plan that would have established a subsidiary valued at $20 billion to manage FIFA’s competitions, including the World Cup. The proposal would also have allowed outside investors to purchase as much as a 20% holding.
- The proposed subsidiary was intended to oversee FIFA’s tournaments.
- External investors could have acquired up to one-fifth of the business.
- FIFA later withdrew the initiative after widespread opposition.
