FIFA Ends Kevin Lamour’s Tenure After Criticism of Gianni Infantino’s Commercial Plans
FIFA has confirmed the departure of its Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, days after he publicly criticised plans championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to create a new commercial entity.
The world football governing body said on Monday that Lamour’s working relationship with the organisation ended on August 17, 2026, bringing an abrupt end to his tenure as one of FIFA’s senior executives.
“FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s chief operating officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
“FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future. No further comment will be made on the matter.”
Lamour joined FIFA’s senior leadership team in November 2024 after previously working on Infantino’s successful campaign for the FIFA presidency in 2016.
His departure comes amid growing opposition to Infantino’s proposal for a new commercial subsidiary that would hold some of FIFA’s most valuable assets, including rights associated with the World Cup and other major tournaments.
FIFA has valued the proposed entity at around $20 billion and planned to sell up to a 20 per cent stake to private equity investors, potentially raising about $4.2 billion.
Lamour emerged as one of the most outspoken internal critics of the proposal last month. He accused FIFA staff of being “deceived” and described the project as the initiative of “one person.”
“Our mission … is to serve football, not to serve the personal interests of a person who, unfortunately, believes he embodies FIFA when he is supposed to be at its service,” Lamour said.
His comments came shortly after the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, another senior adviser to Infantino, who had also opposed the proposed commercial structure and described it as “a bad deal for football.”
Infantino later withdrew the proposal.
FIFA has not publicly linked Lamour’s departure to his criticism of the commercial plans and has provided no further details about the circumstances surrounding his exit.
