Kevin Lamour has departed from his position as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer just weeks after he accused Gianni Infantino of misleading the organization’s administration regarding his contentious plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.
Lamour’s termination was announced on Monday, marking another consequence of Infantino’s proposal, which faced rejection from three continental confederations before ultimately being withdrawn. This led to UEFA threatening to boycott all FIFA events.
At the onset of the controversy, Lamour stated to The Associated Press that FIFA’s leadership had been “deceived” by Infantino, who is currently under intense scrutiny after three confederation presidents publicly accused him of “deception” in an open letter released last week.
“FIFA confirms that the working relationship with Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer concluded on August 17, 2026,” stated a spokesperson. “We appreciate Kevin’s two years of service and wish him every success in the future. No further comments will be provided on this matter.”
According to the Press Association, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom informed staff via email about Lamour’s exit, praising his contributions toward enhancing relations with various stakeholders in the football community.
Lamour’s departure coincided with Infantino losing support from the Scottish Football Association. Chief Executive Ian Maxwell said on Monday: “The Scottish FA will not support Gianni Infantino, in line with UEFA’s position, and we have consistently maintained this stance.
“In football administration, you shouldn’t be in the spotlight as often as has been the case. Something has clearly gone amiss if the focus following the most successful and celebrated World Cup has shifted to off-the-field issues rather than the games themselves.”
“Football must be centered around the game and its relationship with fans. There has been a breakdown in governance, a lack of transparency, and insufficient engagement with member associations that we must rectify. Transparency and governance need to improve.”
SFA’s president, Mike Mulraney, currently chairs FIFA’s finance committee.
Pressure continues to mount on Infantino, with reports indicating that the intention of the recent open letter accusing him of deception was to prompt his resignation. If he refuses to step down, his opponents may consider finding a challenger for next year’s congress.
In addition, advocacy group FairSquare is advocating for a different approach. They have written to FIFA, questioning Infantino’s eligibility to run for reelection.
A FIFA press release prior to the 2022 World Cup final noted that its governing council agreed with its governance, audit, and compliance committee that Infantino’s tenure from 2016 to 2019—when he succeeded Sepp Blatter—did not count towards the maximum three-term limit outlined in Article 33.2 of the FIFA Statutes.
FairSquare has found allies in their letter, including Miguel Maduro, the former chair of FIFA’s governance committee, who expressed to the Press Association: “2027 would mark his election for a fourth term, which contradicts the wording of the provision.”
The letter has been forwarded to FIFA’s review committee, a subcommittee of the GACC, which is appointed to assess the eligibility of presidential candidates.
Maduro stated: “I remain hopeful that some members of the review committee will refuse to partake in what I believe would be a farce if they deem him eligible. Furthermore, I hope that the football associations opposing him will make this a central issue.”