{
  "id": 1583618,
  "title": "Lamour leaves key Fifa position after criticising Infantino",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/lamour-leaves-key-fifa-position-after-criticising-infantino-1583618",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T21:37:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/08/18/lamour-leaves-key-fifa-position-after-criticising-infantino"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifa announced on August 17 that Kevin Lamour had resigned as chief operating officer after just two years in the position. The Frenchman had criticized president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell off stakes in competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors, describing it as \"the project of one person.\" Lamour, the third-highest-ranking official at Fifa, had served in the role since November 2024. In a statement to the Associated Press, Lamour expressed his willingness to step down if it meant the proposal was scrapped, stating that \"if that means I lose my job, then so be it.\" The controversy surrounding Infantino's plan has put his position under threat for the first time since his election in 2016, with Uefa, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation united in calling for football to be \"owned by no individual.\"",
  "summary": "A former employee of European governing body Uefa, Kevin Lamour had served as Fifa COO since November 2024.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "BALD AMBITION: Momentum builds against Fifa’s Infantino after his FFE own goal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/bald-ambition-momentum-builds-against-fifas-infantino-after-his-ffe",
        "published": "2026-08-16T06:44:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "FIFA sacks senior executive who criticised Infantino, Sky News understands",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fifa-sacks-senior-executive-who-criticised-infantino-sky-news-1548898",
        "published": "2026-08-17T19:02:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "FIFA sacks senior executive who criticised Infantino, Sky News understands",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fifa-sacks-senior-executive-who-criticised-infantino-sky-news",
        "published": "2026-08-17T19:23:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "Top Fifa official leaves after Infantino plan criticism",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/top-fifa-official-leaves-after-infantino-plan-criticism",
        "published": "2026-08-17T19:52:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "FIFA executive who criticised Infantino's World Cup sale plan departs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fifa-executive-who-criticised-infantinos-world-cup-sale-plan-departs",
        "published": "2026-08-17T20:35:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BusinessDay Nigeria",
        "title": "FIFA chief sacked after criticism of Gianni Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fifa-chief-sacked-after-criticism-of-gianni-infantinos-world-cup-sell",
        "published": "2026-08-17T21:19:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Lamour leaves key Fifa position after criticising Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/lamour-leaves-key-fifa-position-after-criticising-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-17T21:37:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "FIFA chief operating officer leaves after criticising Infantino investor plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fifa-chief-operating-officer-leaves-after-criticising-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-17T23:32:47.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}