FIFA Executive Kevin Lamour Sacked After Opposing Gianni Infantino

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has been officially dismissed from his post after publicly opposing FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed the dismissal through an official statement, saying that “the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer ended on 17 August 2026.”

“FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best for the future,” the official FIFA statement read.

The high-level rift was triggered by Infantino’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan. The programme proposed selling 21 per cent of the commercial rights to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.

Lamour was one of the leading internal officials who strongly opposed the idea. He believed FIFA staff had been let down and criticised Infantino’s actions, which he saw as taking control of the federation for personal gain.

“If this costs me my job, so be it. I can sleep soundly tonight,” Lamour asserted in a vocal statement before the dismissal decision was issued.

Lamour officially joined FIFA in November 2024 after previously serving as UEFA Deputy General Secretary. In FIFA’s management structure, Lamour’s position was two levels below Infantino.

Although the share sale plan was ultimately scrapped due to massive opposition from UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC, Lamour’s position was still terminated. FIFA’s decision to remove the former UEFA executive further underscores the heightened political tensions ahead of next year’s FIFA Presidential election.