FIFA has let go of one of Gianni Infantino’s top officials after they spoke out publicly, and they’ve shared a statement about it.
FIFA has reportedly let go of one of Gianni Infantino’s top officials after he spoke out against the president’s private investment plans.
The Times first reported that Infantino was thinking about selling small shares in the World Cup through private investors. The plan included setting up a company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage tournament rights and sell these stakes. If this went ahead, Infantino could have earned much more than his current salary as FIFA president by becoming commissioner of FFE.
These ideas caused a lot of anger in the football world since many FIFA member associations said Infantino never shared the plans with them. To win support, Infantino promised each of the 211 associations £30 million if they voted for it. But many quickly pulled back their support. Just days after FIFA announced the plan, it was decided to move forward with the private investment idea anyway.
Since then, Infantino has lost a lot of support. UEFA even threatened to boycott FIFA events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. Several national associations have withdrawn their backing ahead of the presidential election next March. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is among those thought to be thinking about running against him.
Some of the harshest critics have come from Infantino’s own senior FIFA team. Carlos Cordeiro, an adviser, resigned over the proposals, calling them “a bad deal for the game” and saying he had no part in creating them. FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, also criticized the plan, calling it “the project of one person.” He said, “This project must not go ahead, and football’s leaders need to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions now. Even if it means I lose my job, I’ll accept that and sleep well tonight.”
FIFA later announced that Lamour, the French official, had left his role. FIFA’s secretary general, Mattias Grafstrom, said in a letter that FIFA and Lamour “have agreed to part ways” after careful and respectful consideration. However, Sky News reported that Lamour was actually fired.
When SPORTbible asked FIFA for more details, they only shared their earlier statement: “FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour ended on 17 August 2026. We thank Kevin for his two years of service and wish him all the best.”
Lamour began working at UEFA in 2006, serving under president Michel Platini. He supported Infantino’s bid to become FIFA president in 2014 and was appointed FIFA’s chief operating officer in 2024.