Kevin Lamour’s FIFA exit was confirmed Monday, weeks after the chief operating officer publicly criticised President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a stake in World Cup and other tournament commercial rights.
FIFA said its working relationship with Lamour ended on August 17, 2026. The governing body thanked him for nearly two years of service but gave no reason for his departure.
Lamour had criticised the proposal in July, saying FIFA staff had been misled about the project. He also described the initiative as driven by one person and accused Infantino of putting personal interests ahead of FIFA’s mission.
The plan involved creating a $20 billion commercial subsidiary and selling up to a 20% stake to private-equity investors to raise about $4.2 billion, according to the source. Infantino withdrew the proposal after opposition intensified.
Senior Infantino adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned over the plan shortly before its withdrawal, calling it a bad deal for football.
Pressure on Infantino has since expanded ahead of FIFA’s presidential election in March 2027. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have called for an independent review of his conduct, while the Scottish Football Association has said it will not support his reelection.
Read: UEFA Boycott Threat Stays After FIFA Drops $4.2bn Plan
Human-rights organisation FairSquare also asked FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to rule Infantino ineligible for another term. Director Nicholas McGeehan argued that FIFA’s three-term presidential limit should include Infantino’s first period in office from 2016 to 2019.
Infantino was elected in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation and won unopposed elections in 2019 and 2023. FIFA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on FairSquare’s complaint.
