Fifa has dismissed chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, BBC Sport understands, fewer than three weeks after he publicly criticised president Gianni Infantino’s shelved proposal to sell stakes in competitions to private investors.
In a brief statement, a Fifa spokesperson said Lamour’s tenure as COO ended on 17 August 2026, thanking him for two years of service and wishing him well.
Staff were informed on Monday evening via an email from secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, who said Fifa and Lamour had agreed to part ways.
Last month, Lamour condemned the Fifa Forward Enterprise concept, describing it as the initiative of a single individual and urging football’s political leaders to ask tough questions and make the right calls. He also said Fifa’s administration had been misled about the plan before it was dropped.
He stressed that the organisation’s role is to serve the game and argued a president should unite and inspire—suggesting the opposite was occurring. While noting his duty of loyalty to his employer, he said he also owed loyalty to his values and colleagues, adding that if speaking out cost him his job, he would accept that and sleep soundly.
Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024 after serving as Uefa’s deputy general secretary and held a role two levels below Infantino. Earlier this month, senior executives voiced support for the president at a meeting in Morocco, but BBC Sport was told Lamour was not invited.
In a letter to Fifa Council members, seen by BBC Sport, Grafstrom said that after recent discussions Fifa and Lamour had decided to go their separate ways, calling the move carefully considered and expressing appreciation for Lamour’s work and commitment.
After his departure, Lamour sent a farewell message urging colleagues to prioritise what is right over what is easy, praising most staff for doing so every day. He acknowledged Fifa is going through a difficult period but expressed confidence that things will ultimately turn out well.