FIFA has ended its working relationship with Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, less than three weeks after he publicly criticised president Gianni Infantino over the abandoned plan to sell a stake in a company that would oversee the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions.
FIFA confirmed on Monday that Lamour’s tenure had ended, with BBC Sport reporting that the decision followed his opposition to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
A FIFA spokesperson said, “The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” while thanking him for his two years of service.
Lamour had described the FFE proposal as “the project of one person” and alleged that FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” about the initiative.
He also questioned Infantino’s leadership, saying, “A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.”
The proposed FFE company was scrapped after plans to sell a 21 per cent stake to private investment firms faced resistance from several football authorities.
UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation opposed the proposal, while UEFA was reportedly prepared to boycott the World Cup if the plan proceeded.
The controversy has also weakened Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, with UEFA and Concacaf withdrawing their backing. The Scottish Football Association followed suit on Monday, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
However, football’s confederations in Africa, South America and Oceania have maintained their support for Infantino.
