\FIFA confirmed on Monday the departure of Kevin Lamour, the organization’s chief operating officer, in a move that once again puts the spotlight on the internal crisis surrounding President Gianni Infantino.
Lamour, 45, ended his employment with FIFA on August 17, 2026, just a few weeks after becoming one of the most vocal internal critics of the controversial commercial project FIFA Forward Enterprise, an initiative that sought to open up part of the organization’s competition business to private investors.
“The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour, in his capacity as chief operating officer, ended on August 17, 2026,” a spokesperson for the organization confirmed.
FIFA also thanked the French executive for his two years of service and wished him success in his future endeavors. Lamour had assumed the position on November 1, 2024, after a long and distinguished career at UEFA.
Lamour publicly confronted Infantino
The executive’s departure takes on special significance due to the clash he had with Infantino in late July. Lamour openly questioned the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which called for the creation of a subsidiary valued at nearly $20 billion and the possibility of selling up to 20% of its equity to private investors. The proposal was ultimately withdrawn after facing strong opposition within FIFA itself and among various confederations. At the time, Lamour did not mince words and described the initiative as Infantino’s personal project.
He also accused FIFA’s leadership of keeping staff on the sidelines of the negotiations and questioned whether the initiative was truly aligned with the organization’s institutional mission.
“A president should bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today we are experiencing the opposite,” he said, referring to Infantino.
“If I lose my job, so be it”
Lamour had even made it clear that he was aware his criticism could have professional consequences. The then-chief operating officer maintained that, if he ended up losing his job for standing by his position, at least he could sleep soundly.
And now, just a few weeks after those statements, his departure from FIFA has become one of the most striking episodes in the growing tension surrounding Infantino’s presidency. That said, FIFA has not officially stated that Lamour’s criticism was the cause of his departure. The organization merely confirmed that his employment ended on August 17.
Another executive has also left FIFA
Lamour’s case is not an isolated one. Shortly before that, Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to Infantino and former president of U.S. Soccer, also left FIFA after expressing his opposition to the commercial project. The departure of both executives fuels doubts about the internal atmosphere within the organization following the attempt to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise.
Infantino Faces More Pressure Ahead of 2027
The situation also comes at a difficult time for Gianni Infantino.
UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF have raised questions about the transparency with which the initiative was carried out, while some national federations have begun to withdraw their support for the FIFA president ahead of the March 2027 elections.
Lamour, who had professional ties to Infantino for years dating back to his time at UEFA, is now leaving the organization as one of the most visible figures in the internal opposition to the project that sparked one of the biggest recent upheavals at FIFA.
His departure, in and of itself, does not prove that it was a direct consequence of his criticism. But the timing of his departure—coming after his strong statements against FIFA Forward Enterprise—inevitably puts the spotlight back on the way Infantino is managing the organization and on the future of his leadership leading up to 2027.
