FIFA sacks COO Kevin Lamour after Infantino criticism
By Kwame Bediako FIFA has terminated the contract of its Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, weeks after he publicly criticised president Gianni Infantino over a controversial plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations. The organisation confirmed on 17 August 2026 that “the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s Chief Operating […]
FIFA has ended Kevin Lamour's position as Chief Operating Officer following his criticism of president Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell a significant stake in FIFA's commercial operations. The organization acknowledged Lamour's two years of service on August 17, 2026. The dispute centered around Infantino's plan to create a subsidiary to manage the World Cup and other competitions, subsequently selling a 20% stake to private investors, estimated at around $4.2 billion.
Lamour deemed the project "the project of one person" and criticized FIFA's mission to serve football rather than personal interests. He also alleged being "deceived" and treated with "contempt and intimidation" regarding the plan. The stake-sale idea was discontinued on August 1, 2026, due to widespread global opposition. UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA events if the deal proceeded, and multiple confederations and high-profile figures, including Luis Figo, called for Infantino's resignation.
Despite this, certain regions, including parts of Africa, South America, and several Arab federations, continued to support Infantino. Lamour's termination is seen as a reflection of Infantino reestablishing control within FIFA ahead of the March 2027 presidential election. FIFA's statement, however, provided no further details, stating "No further comment will be made on the matter."
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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