Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has been shown the door, less than three weeks after he had the audacity to criticise president Gianni Infantino's now-aborted plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors. BBC Sport has learned that the governing body terminated Lamour's employment on 17 August 2026, a move that surely surprised no one who has followed Fifa's history of dealing with dissent.
A Fifa spokesperson, in a statement that could double as a template for corporate farewells, confirmed that 'the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026.' They added, 'Fifa thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future.' Because nothing says 'thank you' like a swift sacking.
Staff were informed via an email from secretary general Mattias Grafstrom on Monday evening, who said the organisation and Lamour had 'agreed to part ways.' Because when you're fired for speaking truth to power, it's always framed as a mutual decision.
Lamour's crime? Last month, he described the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plans as 'the project of one person' and suggested that 'the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.' He also claimed Fifa's own administration was 'deceived' about the abandoned project. He had the nerve to say that a president should 'bring people together, unite them, and inspire them' - and that, instead, 'we are experiencing the opposite.'
Lamour acknowledged his duty of loyalty to his employer but also to 'certain values' and his colleagues. He even said, '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.' And lose his job he did. Sweet dreams, Kevin.
Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024, having previously served as deputy general secretary at Uefa. He was two layers of management below Infantino, which apparently wasn't far enough to avoid the fallout. Earlier this month, Infantino received backing from senior executives in Morocco, but Lamour wasn't invited - a hint of things to come.
In a letter to Fifa's Council, Grafstrom wrote the usual platitudes: '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... I wish Kevin all the best for the future.' Because respect is clearly in abundant supply.
Infantino is under increasing pressure over his proposal to create FFE, a company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa competitions, including World Cups. The plan was aborted after Infantino sought to sell 21% of the company to private investors, drawing widespread criticism. Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation publicly opposed it, with Uefa threatening to boycott the World Cup if it went ahead.
Lamour's criticism was followed by the resignation of Infantino's senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro. After the proposal's collapse, Uefa and Concacaf withdrew support for Infantino's fourth presidential term at the Fifa Congress next March. Several Concacaf members, including Mexico, broke ranks to support Infantino, while confederations from Africa, South America, and Oceania backed him. On Monday, the Scottish FA became the latest to withdraw support, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Football governance charity FairSquare has written to Fifa demanding Infantino be barred from re-election.
So, in a nutshell: criticise the boss's bad idea, lose your job, and watch the world (of football) divide. It's all in a day's work at Fifa.