FIFA, football’s global governing body, ended the tenure of Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, after he publicly criticised FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise investment plan.
The decision marks a dramatic new development in a growing leadership dispute that has placed Infantino under increasing pressure ahead of FIFA’s next presidential election.
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FIFA confirmed that its working relationship with Lamour ended on August 17, but did not publicly give a reason for the departure.
A FIFA spokesperson thanked Lamour for his two years of service. Reuters and other major outlets reported the departure after Lamour became one of the most senior FIFA figures to openly challenge Infantino’s handling of the controversial proposal.
The departure comes less than three weeks after Lamour delivered an unusually forthright assessment of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
The plan was unveiled in late July as a new FIFA-owned subsidiary intended to bring commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing, ticketing and hospitality, together with the operational delivery of FIFA competitions.
The proposed structure was intended to unlock additional commercial value and increase development funding for FIFA’s 211 member associations.
FIFA said the initiative could have helped raise regular Forward funding from $8 million per association in the 2023-26 cycle to $20 million for 2027-30, with additional funding potentially available through the FIFA Fast Forward Programme.
The proposal quickly became politically explosive.
Lamour, who had previously worked alongside Infantino at UEFA and FIFA, accused the administration of being kept in the dark about the initiative.
In comments reported by the Associated Press, Lamour described the proposal as “the project of one person” and said FIFA’s own administration had been “deceived”.
Lamour also questioned the leadership culture surrounding the project, arguing that FIFA officials deserved greater openness and respect.
He acknowledged that speaking publicly could cost him his position, saying, “if that means I lose my job, then so be it”, while adding that he would respect the decision.
The criticism came as opposition to FFE spread across the football establishment. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf all raised serious objections, while UEFA threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions if the initiative proceeded.
The dispute became particularly sensitive because the proposal involved private investment in a commercial structure linked to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
FIFA initially defended the project as a potential means of strengthening football development around the world.
On July 30, Infantino described FFE as a “golden opportunity” to generate greater commercial value and increase investment in pitches, national teams and women’s football.
That position changed within days.
On July 31, FIFA announced that the proposal would not proceed.
Infantino said the organisation had listened to the various concerns and concluded that the project had created divisions that were no longer compatible with its original objective.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve,” Infantino said in the statement, adding that the proposal would not proceed.
The collapse of FFE did not, however, settle the dispute over Infantino’s leadership.
The controversy has instead become intertwined with Infantino’s attempt to secure another term as FIFA president.
UEFA and Concacaf have withdrawn their support, while the Scottish Football Association announced on August 17 that it would no longer back Infantino.
Scotland joined England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Football Association of Ireland in distancing themselves from his re-election campaign.
Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell said the association’s position reflected concerns over FIFA’s leadership and its alignment with UEFA’s stance.
The development adds to an increasingly fractured political landscape around Infantino as he seeks to maintain support across FIFA’s member associations.
Lamour’s departure is also significant because of his previous relationship with Infantino.
Lamour was not an outside critic who emerged during the dispute.
His professional association with Infantino stretched back to their UEFA years, making his decision to speak publicly particularly striking.
The internal fallout has extended beyond Lamour. Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro also resigned during the controversy, describing the proposed venture as harmful to football. The departures have reinforced concerns about internal disagreement within FIFA at a politically delicate moment.
FIFA has not said that Lamour’s criticism was the formal reason for ending his employment.
The governing body’s public position remains limited to confirmation that the working relationship ended on August 17 and an expression of appreciation for his service.
That distinction is important because the timing of the departure, rather than a stated disciplinary explanation, has fuelled speculation about the circumstances surrounding the decision.
For FIFA, the immediate challenge is now broader than the fate of one senior executive.
The collapse of FFE has exposed divisions between FIFA’s leadership and several powerful confederations, while the loss of support from national associations has added another layer of uncertainty to Infantino’s political future.
For Lamour, the end of his two-year spell as FIFA’s chief operating officer closes a turbulent chapter in which an internal disagreement over the commercial future of football became a public test of leadership, transparency and governance.
The fallout is unlikely to disappear with the abandonment of FIFA Forward Enterprise.
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With the presidential election approaching and competing factions pressing for changes in FIFA’s leadership, Lamour’s exit has become another visible sign of the difficult political road ahead for Infantino and the organisation he leads.
