FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, has departed from the organization following his public disagreement with President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a portion of FIFA’s tournament business, including the World Cup. The decision to end Lamour’s role was confirmed by FIFA on Monday, with a spokesperson expressing gratitude for Lamour’s two years of service and wishing him well in his future endeavors. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom informed staff and Council members of Lamour’s departure through a letter, citing a mutual agreement to part ways after recent discussions.
Lamour had openly criticized the proposal in the past month, accusing FIFA staff of being misled and labeling the initiative as a unilateral project. He emphasized that their primary objective should be to serve football and not the personal interests of an individual who perceives themselves as FIFA’s embodiment rather than its servant. This critique came shortly after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned in objection to the proposal, referring to it as detrimental to football.
Having joined FIFA in November 2024, Lamour was previously associated with Infantino’s inner circle during the campaign for his presidency in 2016. The departure of Lamour and Cordeiro reflects the internal turmoil within FIFA regarding the handling of commercial interests, particularly the contentious plan to involve private investors in FIFA’s operations.