Key executive who criticised Infantino leaves FIFA

FIFA has announced that chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has ended his working relationship with the governing body, citing the termination took effect on August 17, 2026. In a statement, a FIFA spokesperson expressed gratitude to Lamour for his two years of service and wished him well in the future. No further details were provided regarding the reasons behind Lamour's departure.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom informed staff and Council members of Lamour's exit via a letter on Monday. According to Sky News, Grafstrom conveyed that the two parties had agreed to part ways following recent discussions.

Kevin Lamour had publicly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the organisation's tournament business, including the World Cup, in recent months. Lamour contended that FIFA staff had been deceived about the proposal and deemed it as the project of a single individual. He emphasized that his mission was to serve football, not the personal interests of a person who perceived himself as embodying FIFA.

His comments came shortly after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned in protest over the proposal, labeling it as a "bad deal for football." Lamour had joined FIFA in November 2024, previously being part of Infantino's inner circle that advocated for his election as president in 2016. The internal dissent arose as FIFA faced widespread opposition to its plan to establish a $20 billion subsidiary to manage its tournaments, including the World Cup, and sell up to a 20% stake to external investors. FIFA ultimately abandoned the proposal following the backlash.