FIFA has confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left the organisation, weeks after he openly criticised President Gianni Infantino over a proposed restructuring of the body’s commercial rights.
FIFA said Lamour’s working relationship with the organisation ended on August 17, 2026. The governing body did not provide a reason for his departure, saying only that it thanked him for his service and wished him well.
Lamour joined FIFA’s senior leadership team in November 2024. Before taking up the role, he had been part of the group that supported Infantino’s successful campaign to become FIFA president in 2016.
Lamour Criticised Infantino’s Commercial Plan
Lamour’s departure comes after he publicly criticised a proposal that would have involved creating a new $20 billion subsidiary and selling up to a 20% stake to private equity investors.
The plan was designed to raise around $4.2 billion from investors by selling part of the commercial rights associated with the World Cup and other FIFA competitions.
However, the proposal triggered significant opposition within football circles.
Lamour said last month that FIFA employees had been “deceived” over the initiative and described it as “the project of one person”.
He also argued that FIFA’s primary responsibility was to serve football rather than the personal interests of its president.
The criticism came shortly after senior Infantino adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest, describing the proposal as a bad deal for football. Infantino subsequently withdrew the plan.
Pressure on Infantino’s Fourth-Term Bid
The controversy has added to questions surrounding Infantino’s attempt to secure a fourth term as FIFA president in March 2027.
Infantino, 56, has led FIFA since 2016 and was re-elected without opposition in both 2019 and 2023.
His continued candidacy has become increasingly controversial because FIFA’s rules generally limit presidents to three terms.
Infantino has argued that his initial period in office, from 2016 to 2019, should not count toward the limit because he completed the remainder of an interrupted presidential mandate following the resignation of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
That interpretation allowed him to seek re-election in 2023.
FairSquare Challenges Infantino’s Eligibility
Human rights organisation FairSquare has now asked FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to rule that Infantino is ineligible to seek another term.
FairSquare said its complaint provides what it considers clear evidence that allowing Infantino to run for a fourth term would violate FIFA’s rules.
The organisation’s director, Nicholas McGeehan, argued that the three-term limit was introduced as an important safeguard against excessive presidential power.
Former FIFA independent Governance and Review Committee head Miguel Maduro also supported the complaint, saying term limits had been a fundamental part of FIFA’s reforms introduced in 2016.
FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the complaint.
AFC, Uefa and Concacaf explore alternative competitions amid Fifa crisis
European and Other Confederations Raise Concerns
Pressure on Infantino is also coming from several major football confederations.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF have called for an independent review of Infantino’s conduct.
The three organisations represent football across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, North and Central America respectively.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the confederations view the review as potentially providing Infantino with an opportunity to step aside voluntarily.
However, Infantino continues to enjoy support from the African and South American football confederations, meaning the political picture inside FIFA remains divided.
Scottish FA Says It Will Not Support Infantino
Several national football associations have also expressed concerns.
Scottish Football Association Chief Executive Ian Maxwell told the BBC that Scotland would not support Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president.
The development represents another challenge for Infantino as he attempts to maintain support across FIFA’s membership ahead of the 2027 election.
Meanwhile, FairSquare’s latest complaint was prepared with assistance from Maduro, who has continued to argue that FIFA must apply its own rules consistently.
Earlier Complaint Over Political Neutrality
FairSquare has previously challenged Infantino on another issue.
The organisation filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) alleging that Infantino had breached rules concerning political neutrality because of his support for US President Donald Trump.
The IOC rejected that complaint last month.
Infantino has been an IOC member since 2020.
With Lamour now leaving FIFA, opposition to the proposed commercial deal adding to concerns over governance and several football confederations calling for an independent review, Infantino faces a more challenging political environment than he did when his fourth-term campaign initially appeared likely to be straightforward.
