Fifa's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has been sacked by the governing body, less than three weeks after he publicly criticized President Gianni Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in the organization's competitions to private investors. The termination of Lamour's employment with Fifa was confirmed on August 17, 2026.

A Fifa spokesperson stated that the working relationship between the organization and Lamour as Chief Operating Officer had ended, thanking him for his two years of service and wishing him well for the future. Fifa's secretary general, Mattias Grafstrom, informed staff via email that the organization and Lamour had mutually agreed to part ways.

Lamour had previously described the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plans as "the project of one person" and suggested that football political leaders needed to "ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions." He also indicated that Fifa's own administration had been "deceived" about the now-abandoned project, emphasizing that the mission of Fifa employees is to "serve football."

He had further commented that a president "must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them," adding, "Today, we are experiencing the opposite." Lamour acknowledged having a duty of loyalty to his employer but also to "certain values and supporting his colleagues," stating, "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."

Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024, having previously served as deputy general secretary at Uefa. He was positioned two layers of management below President Infantino. While Infantino received backing from senior executives in a meeting in Morocco earlier this month, Lamour was reportedly not invited.

Infantino's proposal involved creating a new company, FFE, to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa competitions, including the World Cups. The plan to sell 21% of this company to private investment firms was ultimately abandoned.

This development follows a period of scrutiny for Infantino, including a recent report that the Scottish FA withdrew its support for the Fifa president. The precise details and motivations behind the agreement for Lamour and Fifa to part ways remain subject to further clarification, beyond the public statements made.

The sacking raises questions about internal dissent within Fifa and the potential repercussions for officials who voice criticism of the president's strategic initiatives, particularly those involving significant commercial restructuring and external investment.