Fifa has removed Kevin Lamour from his post as chief operating officer, a move confirmed on 17 August 2026 and coming less than three weeks after he openly criticised president Gianni Infantino's now-scrapped scheme to sell stakes in the organisation's competitions to outside investors. A national broadcaster's report said the departure follows weeks of internal tension over the proposal, which had already collapsed amid opposition from within football's governing bodies.
A Fifa spokesperson declined to elaborate on the circumstances beyond a brief statement, saying only that Lamour's tenure had concluded.
the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as 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.
Staff were told of the change by secretary general Mattias Grafstrom in an email sent on Monday evening, in which he said the two sides had reached a mutual understanding to separate.
What did Lamour say about the plan before he left?
Lamour had used unusually blunt language last month to describe the Fifa Forward Enterprise initiative, framing it as the product of a single individual's ambition rather than a collective decision by the organisation.
the project of one person
the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions
He went further, suggesting Fifa's own administrative staff had been misled about the scope and intent of the scheme.
deceived
Lamour framed his objections as a matter of institutional duty, insisting the organisation's true purpose lay with its workforce rather than any single figure at the top.
Our mission - the mission of the hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary Fifa employees - is to serve football
A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.
He acknowledged the professional risk of speaking out but said he was prepared to accept the consequences.
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.
How has Fifa explained the departure?
Grafstrom's message to staff described the exit in measured terms, avoiding any reference to the earlier criticism.
agreed to part ways
In a separate letter sent to members of Fifa's Council, Grafstrom offered a more formal account of the change, thanking Lamour for his service while stressing the decision followed careful deliberation.
I would like to provide you with an important update regarding a change within the Fifa Administration. Following recent discussions, Fifa and our Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour have agreed to part ways. This decision was made after careful consideration and with great respect for Kevin, both personally and professionally… I felt it was important that I personally provide you this update and I would like to express my gratitude to Kevin for these contributions and for his work and commitment on behalf of Fifa on a daily basis. I wish Kevin all the best for the future.
Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024 after previously serving as deputy general secretary at Uefa, sitting two management tiers below Infantino. Earlier this month, Infantino secured backing from senior executives during a meeting held in Morocco, though a national broadcaster's report noted Lamour was not among those invited to attend. Lamour has been approached for comment.
What was the investment plan that triggered the dispute?
The proposal at the centre of the controversy would have created a commercial vehicle in which private investors could acquire a 20% stake, according to a news agency report, which also noted that Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest over the scheme. Separate French-language coverage from Le Monde reported the entity was designed to raise roughly $4.2 billion through that 20% sale, implying an overall valuation of about $20 billion. A national broadcaster's earlier report stated the plan had already been shelved on 1 August 2026 following internal divisions. Opposition to the idea reportedly extended across football's regional bodies, with broadcast coverage noting that Uefa, Concacaf and the AFC voiced criticism, with Uefa going so far as to declare a loss of confidence in Infantino. Before the plan was withdrawn, Infantino had reportedly set a deadline for Fifa's 211 member federations to accept one-off payments of $20 million tied to the scheme, according to regional coverage.
What happens next?
Although the private-investment scheme has already been abandoned, the same regional coverage noted that Infantino had originally fixed 19 September 2026 as the date by which member federations were expected to accept the one-off offers before the plan collapsed. It remains unclear whether Lamour's exit will prompt further changes among Fifa's senior administration in the coming weeks.
Key Facts
- Kevin Lamour's exit as Fifa chief operating officer was confirmed on 17 August 2026.
- He had joined Fifa in November 2024 from a deputy general secretary role at Uefa.
- The scrapped plan would have sold a 20% stake in a new commercial entity, reportedly aiming to raise about $4.2 billion at a $20 billion valuation.
- Carlos Cordeiro resigned over the proposal, according to a news agency report.
- Infantino had set 19 September 2026 as a deadline for member federations to accept $20 million offers before the plan was dropped.
