FIFA COO shares serious concerns about Gianni Infantino and the World Cup sale plan
Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, has spoken out strongly against Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. On Tuesday, Infantino revealed he wants to bring in big investors, including US-based Thrive Capital, to raise over $20 billion by selling shares in major tournaments.
Infantino promised to give $40 million to national associations that support his idea by September 19. But most people are not happy with this plan. On Thursday, UEFA’s 55 members held an emergency meeting and said they would boycott the World Cup if it goes ahead.
Other football federations like Concacaf and CAF also oppose the move, making the majority against the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan. It’s not just the federations—people close to Infantino are speaking out too. On Thursday, Carlos Codeiro, Infantino’s senior advisor, quit his job, calling the deal “bad for the game.” Many applauded his courage, and he’s not the only one publicly criticizing the proposal.
In a statement shared with Associated Press reporter Graham Dunbar, Kevin Lamour said FIFA staff felt “deceived” by Infantino’s plan. He called it the project of one person and urged football leaders to seriously question it and make the right decisions. Lamour praised those, like UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who have already spoken out against Infantino, calling him the “wrong man” to lead FIFA.
Lamour’s words carry weight: he has worked with Infantino for years. He joined FIFA as COO in November 2024 after 17 years at UEFA, where Infantino was once General Secretary. Lamour even helped with Infantino’s 2016 FIFA presidential campaign. But now, after almost two decades together, Lamour is so opposed to the plan that he’s ready to risk his job over it.
He said, “And if that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.” If Lamour does resign, he’d be the second senior FIFA staff member to leave within 24 hours over this controversy, following Codeiro.