Senior FIFA executive exits weeks after accusing Gianni Infantino of a lack of transparency over the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — WEB DESK: FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left world football’s governing body, less than three weeks after publicly criticising President Gianni Infantino over a controversial proposal involving FIFA’s commercial operations.
FIFA confirmed that its employment relationship with Lamour ended on August 17, 2026, but did not publicly attribute his departure to his criticism of Infantino. Reuters and the Associated Press have also reported the executive’s exit amid the continuing fallout from the proposal.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström informed staff and FIFA Council members that the two sides had mutually agreed to separate, according to reports. FIFA thanked Lamour for his service and wished him well for the future.
The departure follows a highly unusual public intervention by one of FIFA’s most senior executives against its president.
Lamour criticised the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal in late July, describing it as the project of a single person and accusing FIFA’s leadership of failing to be sufficiently transparent with staff about its development.
He also indicated at the time that he was prepared to accept the professional consequences of speaking publicly about his concerns.
The controversy centred on a proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise as a subsidiary combining FIFA’s commercial rights — including broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing, ticketing and hospitality — with the operational delivery of FIFA competitions. FIFA’s own explanation said the project was intended to unlock additional commercial value and increase funding available to its 211 member associations.
The proposal, however, triggered significant resistance within international football.
FIFA ultimately announced on August 1 that FFE would not proceed, acknowledging that the project had created divisions that were no longer compatible with its original objective.
Lamour’s departure therefore comes after the plan itself was abandoned and amid wider questions about governance and decision-making within world football’s governing body.
The French executive had served as FIFA’s chief operating officer since November 2024 and previously held senior positions at UEFA. His career in international football administration stretches back more than two decades.
While several reports have characterised Lamour as having been fired, FIFA’s official position cited in reporting is that the employment relationship ended and that the parties mutually agreed to separate. For editorial accuracy, the circumstances of his departure should therefore not be presented as conclusively proven retaliation for his criticism unless further evidence emerges.
