FIFA Crisis Deepens As Top Official Leaves After Criticising Infantino

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has sacked Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour.

The football governing body confirmed the development in a statement issued on Monday, August 17.

Naija News reports that the development comes barely a month after the top official publicly criticised President Gianni Infantino over an abandoned plan to sell a stake in a company that would manage the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions.

While expressing his concerns earlier, Lamour described Infantino’s proposal as a one-man project and claimed FIFA’s administration had been ‘deceived’ about the initiative.

He also faulted Infantino’s leadership style, saying, “A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.”

In its announcement on Monday, FIFA noted that the working relationship with Lamour had ended.

“The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” A FIFA spokesperson announced, adding that the governing body thanked Lamour for his two years of service.

Naija News understands that the proposed FFE company was ultimately abandoned after plans to sell 21 per cent of it to private investment firms faced opposition from various football organisations.

UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation expressed their disapproval of the proposal, with UEFA allegedly threatening to boycott the World Cup should the plan proceed.

The controversy has also impacted Infantino’s pursuit of a fourth term as FIFA president, as UEFA and Concacaf have retracted their support for his re-election.

On Monday, the Scottish Football Association also withdrew its endorsement for Infantino, aligning itself with England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.

However, the confederations representing Africa, South America, and Oceania have maintained their support for Infantino.