Fifa has ended its relationship with chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, less than three weeks after he publicly criticised president Gianni Infantino over the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise project.
Lamour’s departure took effect on 17 August 2026. Fifa confirmed that his time as chief operating officer had ended after roughly two years with the governing body, while staff were told internally that the two sides had agreed to separate.
The decision follows Lamour’s unusually open criticism of Fifa leadership in July, when he challenged the proposed creation of Fifa Forward Enterprise, or FFE. The project would have transferred the commercial and ticketing rights for Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, into a new company.
Infantino had proposed selling a 21% stake in that company to private investors, but the plan was eventually abandoned after opposition from several major football confederations.
Lamour argued that the initiative had been driven primarily by Infantino and said Fifa’s own administration had not been properly informed about its development. He also questioned the president’s leadership approach and indicated at the time that he was prepared to lose his position over his objections.
Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024 after previously working as deputy general secretary at Uefa. He sat two management levels below Infantino.
His exit comes during a period of growing political tension around the Fifa president. Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation were among the organisations that opposed the FFE proposal, with Uefa warning of severe consequences if the project proceeded.
Senior Infantino adviser Carlos Cordeiro also resigned during the controversy.
After FFE was dropped, both Uefa and Concacaf withdrew their support for Infantino ahead of his expected bid for a fourth presidential term at the Fifa Congress in March 2027. However, several Concacaf members, including Mexico, have independently backed him, while the African, South American and Oceania confederations remain supportive.
The Scottish FA became the latest national association to withdraw its backing for Infantino on Monday, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Lamour was also absent from a recent meeting in Morocco where senior Fifa executives expressed support for Infantino.
Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom informed members of the organisation’s Council that Lamour’s departure followed internal discussions and thanked him for his contribution to the governing body.
Meanwhile, football governance group FairSquare has written to Fifa calling for Infantino to be prevented from seeking re-election, adding further pressure ahead of next year’s presidential vote.