FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour Leaves After Criticising Infantino’s World Cup Sell-Off Plan

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left the world football governing body less than three weeks after publicly criticising President Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to attract private investment into FIFA’s major competitions.
FIFA confirmed that Lamour’s working relationship with the organisation ended on Monday, August 17, 2026, but declined to say whether he had been dismissed.
“FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended 17 August 2026,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The governing body thanked Lamour for his two years of service and wished him well in his future endeavours.
According to reports, FIFA staff were informed of Lamour’s departure through an email from Secretary General Mattias Grafström on Monday evening.
Lamour’s exit comes after he strongly criticised Infantino’s now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal last month.
The plan was designed to establish a commercial subsidiary that would manage and attract private investment into FIFA’s major competitions, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
Lamour reportedly described the initiative as “the project of one person” and urged football’s political leaders to “ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”
He also alleged that FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” over aspects of the project.
The proposed investment structure sparked concerns among some stakeholders over the commercialisation and control of FIFA’s flagship competitions.
Infantino subsequently apologised over the controversy, while FIFA acknowledged mistakes surrounding the proposal and ultimately abandoned the plan.
Lamour’s departure has now added another layer of controversy to the fallout from the failed initiative, although FIFA has not publicly linked his exit to his criticism of the proposal.