{
  "id": 1636117,
  "title": "Fifa sack chief operating officer critical of president Gianni Infantino",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/fifa-sack-chief-operating-officer-critical-of-president-gianni",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T04:45:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2026/08/18/fifa-sack-chief-operating-officer-critical-of-president-gianni-infantino/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifa's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, has been dismissed weeks after publicly opposing president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the governing body's commercial rights business. Fifa announced on Monday that Lamour had ended his working relationship with the organization on August 17, 2026. The 56-year-old Infantino, who has been the head of Fifa since 2016, had initially been re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023. However, his bid for a fourth term now faces significant challenges due to opposition from various confederations. The proposed subsidiary, valued at around $20 billion, aimed to sell up to a 20% stake to private equity investors, potentially raising $4.2 billion. Lamour criticized the plan, stating that it was a \"one-person\" project and that Fifa staff had been \"deceived.\" His comments followed the resignation of another senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, who also opposed the plan. Despite the controversy, Infantino remains supported by the African and South American confederations. A human rights organization, FairSquare, has urged Fifa's Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to rule Infantino ineligible for another term due to alleged breaches of the rules.",
  "summary": "Fifa's chief operating officer has been sacked weeks after criticising president Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell a stake in the governing body’s commercial rights business. Football's world governing body confirmed on Monday that Kevin Lamour had departed the organisation, bringing to an abrupt end the tenure of a senior executive who had been part of Infantino’s inner circle before…",
  "key_points": [
    "Kevin Lamour dismissed as Fifa COO on August 17, 2026",
    "Gianni Infantino faces term challenge amid opposition",
    "Proposed $20B stake sale plan criticized by Lamour"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Fifa's dismissal of Kevin Lamour signals a tightening of control by president Gianni Infantino, who now faces increased scrutiny over his plans and potential challenges to his re-election bid.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}