French official Kevin Lamour left his post as FIFA chief operating officer on Monday following a public dispute with president Gianni Infantino.
The global governing body confirmed that its collaboration with the 46-year-old executive ended on August 17, 2026, concluding his nearly two-year tenure as the third-ranking official behind Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafström.
FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, manages international soccer tournaments and governance from its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Lamour's departure comes two weeks after he publicly censured Infantino in a lengthy statement over an aborted proposal to sell FIFA shares to private investors earlier in the summer.
Public Criticism of Infantino
Lamour, a native of Brest in Brittany who previously served as deputy secretary general of European football body UEFA, had voiced strong opposition to the commercial proposal.
He publicly declared that the plan was the project of a single person and insisted that the initiative must not succeed, adding that the time had come for political leaders in football to ask the right questions and make the right decisions.
Speaking to news agency AP, Lamour acknowledged the risk to his career, stating that if standing by his principles meant losing his job, he would accept and respect the decision, adding that at least he would sleep well at night.
A spokesperson for FIFA told British media outlet The Athletic that the organization had ended its working relationship with Lamour on August 17, 2026. The spokesperson thanked Lamour for two years of service, wished him success in the future, and stated that no further comments would be released.
Lamour is the second high-ranking FIFA official to leave the governing body in recent weeks as tension surrounding Infantino's leadership continues to grow.
Executive Resignations and Opposition
On July 31, American executive Carlos Cordeiro resigned as Infantino's right-hand man after publicly breaking ranks with the FIFA president.
Cordeiro condemned the proposed investment deal, stating that he opposed it unequivocally and describing it as a bad deal for member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the sport.
Infantino, an Italo-Swiss-Lebanese sports administrator, continues to maneuver to maintain his position as head of world football despite days of internal turmoil.
Resistance to Infantino has mounted across the international football community, with three continental confederations uniting to launch a joint attack against the FIFA president, declaring that football belongs to no individual.
Norway has formally demanded Infantino's resignation, while European governing body UEFA continues to threaten a boycott of the upcoming World Cup and push for the president's departure despite the withdrawal of the controversial financial project.
Political Alliances and Surrounding Scandals
Critique of Infantino has also come from prominent figures in the sport, with a former Ballon d'Or winner accusing the FIFA president of lying, cheating, and seeking to enrich himself, adding that it was now too late to save his dignity.
At the same time, Infantino is facing renewed pressure from an older controversy involving an alleged mistress and a six-figure settlement, which threatens to complicate his political survival.
Despite growing resistance from opponents working behind the scenes to unseat him, Infantino has received political backing from former United States president Donald Trump.
Trump warned that FIFA would make a terrible mistake by removing Infantino, describing the FIFA chief as a great person who had just presided over the most successful World Cup in history.
The collapsed private investment project has also coincided with major shifts in sports business and international coaching.
Joshua Kushner, a close associate of Donald Trump, completed a record 12.5 billion dollar purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise after his joint venture project with Infantino fell through.
In national team management, 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira has taken over as head coach of the Senegal national team following his departure from Italian club Genoa.
