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FIFA have confirmed the exit of chief operating officer Kevin Lamour after a spell of serious tension within the governing body’s top hierarchy. The senior official has stepped down only weeks after making a sharp public criticism of president Gianni Infantino over contentious plans to commercialise the World Cup.

Internal tensions trigger high-profile departure

FIFA’s leadership structure has been shaken by the abrupt departure of COO Lamour, who has left his role after his working relationship with president Infantino broke down completely.

The departure, confirmed on August 17, 2026, came after a series of explosive remarks in which Lamour accused the governing body’s leadership of lacking transparency. The row centred on the now-dropped FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, a project designed to reshape the way the world’s biggest football tournament is financed and administered.

In an official statement on the matter, a spokesperson for the governing body confirmed the development to the media, saying: "FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026. FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future. No further comment will be made on the matter."

Accusations of misleading staff over World Cup plans

The immediate trigger for the executive split was Lamour’s decision to speak to the Associated Press in late July, when he raised major concerns about the FFE project. Lamour alleged that the president had not been fully truthful with the organisation’s employees about the consequences of the proposed deal.

He said staff had been "deceived" by Infantino over the FFE proposal, which would have allowed the world governing body of football to offer stakes in the World Cup for private investment.

Lamour was unsparing in his view of the leadership style currently prevailing at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. He told the AP: "It is the project of one person. Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions."

Those comments were widely seen as a direct challenge to Infantino’s authority, leaving Lamour’s position within the executive set-up untenable. The Frenchman was fully conscious of the professional consequences of speaking out publicly, adding: "If that means I lose my job, then so be it."

Collapse of the $4.2 billion investment proposal

At the centre of the controversy was a huge financial plan that would have significantly changed the structure of football’s global governing body. In July, FIFA announced plans to sell a sizeable minority stake in a new entity which, as a non-profit organisation, it intended to create to run its main events, including the World Cups and Club World Cups. The proposal involved selling a 20 percent stake in this new commercial arm to an investor group.

The proposed agreement was ultimately abandoned after strong opposition from multiple stakeholders in the game, who feared losing control of football’s most valuable asset. Even so, the internal damage inside FIFA had already been done.

A long career in football administration ends on a bitter note

Lamour was an experienced figure in football administration and had earlier worked closely with Infantino during their time at UEFA. He joined the European governing body in 2007 and eventually became deputy general secretary before moving to FIFA in November 2024.

During his spell as COO, he was recognised for handling complicated stakeholder relationships and overseeing several important infrastructure projects. His sudden departure brings to a close a professional association that had lasted nearly 20 years across the two most powerful organisations in the sport.

The final confirmation of his departure was sent to FIFA staff by secretary general Mattias Grafstrom through an email. In the internal memo, Grafstrom said the decision had been taken after "careful consideration" and thanked Lamour for his contribution to day-to-day operations.