FIFA sacks COO Lamour after criticising Infantino

Kevin Lamour has been sacked as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer after criticising president Gianni Infantino’s scrapped private investor plan.

The world football governing body confirmed Lamour’s resignation via a statement issued on Monday.

Lamour was the third highest-ranking FIFA official.

FIFA stated: “FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s chief operating officer has ended on August 17, 2026.

“FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future.”

Lamour, a former employee of European governing body UEFA, had served as FIFA COO since November 2024.

He was one of the highest-ranking FIFA figures to speak out against Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.

Lamour described the plan as “the project of one person”, saying: “The time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.

“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.”

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Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, considered Infantino’s number two, and chief of global football development Arsene Wenger both later welcomed the decision to ditch the proposal.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger said it was “absolutely necessary” to scrap it.

The controversy has left Infantino’s position under threat for the first time since he was first elected in 2016.

UEFA, North and Central America’s CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation released a joint letter earlier this month declaring “football belongs to no individual”.