FIFA operations chief Kevin Lamour departs amid dispute over World Cup investment scheme

FIFA has ended the employment of its director general of operations, Kevin Lamour, with immediate effect, following public criticism of president Gianni Infantino and a commercial project linked to the World Cup.

The governing body confirmed on Monday that its partnership with Lamour had ended on 17 August 2026. However, FIFA did not say whether he had been dismissed.

Reports in the English media, including in The Times and Sky Sports, said Lamour was sacked after making critical comments about Infantino. Sky Sports also reported that FIFA staff were told about his departure on Monday evening.

“FIFA confirms that its partnership with Kevin Lamour, its director general of operations, ended on 17 August 2026. FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him all the best for the future,” the organisation said.

Lamour had been in the role since November 2024. In late July, he criticised the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project in an interview with the Associated Press.

The scheme had proposed opening part of FIFA’s commercial activities connected to the World Cup to private investors. That plan has since been abandoned.

Lamour accused Infantino of misleading FIFA employees about the project and questioned whether it should ever have proceeded.

“It is the project of one person. Not only should this project not go ahead, but it is time for football leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions,” he said.

He acknowledged that speaking publicly could cost him his job.

“If that means I lose my job, so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. In any case, I will sleep well tonight,” Lamour said.

FIFA has not publicly confirmed that his comments were the reason for his departure. It is also unclear whether he resigned or was removed from his position, although both The Times and Sky Sports reported that he had been dismissed.

Lamour is the second FIFA official to leave amid the dispute over the FFE project.

Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in July after opposing the proposal. His departure came before FIFA confirmed the end of its arrangement with Lamour.

The FFE plan had been intended to involve outside investors in a portion of FIFA’s commercial operations associated with the World Cup. It became the focus of internal disagreement among senior figures at the organisation before being dropped.

Lamour’s comments represented an unusually direct public challenge to Infantino from a serving FIFA executive. The governing body has now confirmed his departure, but has offered no further details about the circumstances surrounding the decision.