Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-08-18 · by Reuters
FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left the organization after publicly criticizing Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights. The plan, which would create a $20bn subsidiary and raise $4.2bn from private equity investors, was met with opposition from several confederations and human rights organizations. A complaint has been filed against Infantino, arguing that his previous terms as president should be counted towards the three-term limit. Lamour's departure comes weeks after he criticized the plan, saying it would serve personal interests rather than football.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Kevin Lamour, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer, has left the organization after criticizing Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the World Cup and other tournaments. Lamour joined FIFA in November 2024, two years ago, having been part of Infantino's inner circle that campaigned for his election as president in 2016. He publicly criticized the proposal last month, saying that FIFA staff had been "deceived" and that it was "the project of one person", rather than a collective decision. In response to the criticism, FIFA has ended its working relationship with Lamour, effective August 17, 2026.
Written for “FIFA Executive Departure” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
FIFA has announced that chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has left the organisation, weeks after he publicly criticised Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments.
asserted
he → announce → Cup
“FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” a FIFA spokesperson said late on Monday.
asserted
spokesperson → confirm → Monday
Jeanie Buss ‘contesting’ family’s plan to sell Lakers to Kushner, Iger
asserted
Buss → contest → Kushner
- list 2 of 4Barcelona reaches deal with Man City to sign Spain skipper Rodri
- list 3 of 4‘Probably my last year’: Ronaldo says this could be his final season
- list 4 of 4MLS:
uncertain
this → reach → 4MLS
Lionel Messi misses penalty again as Nashville thrash Inter Miami 4-1
“FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future.
asserted
FIFA → miss → future
No further comment will be made on the matter.”
asserted
comment → make → matter
Lamour joined the senior leadership group of football’s global governing body in November 2024, having previously been part of the inner circle that campaigned for Infantino’s election as FIFA president in 2016.
asserted
that → join → 2016
Lamour had publicly criticised the proposal last month, saying FIFA staff had been “deceived” over the plan and describing it as “the project of one person”.
asserted
staff → criticise → person
“Our mission … is to serve football, not to serve the personal interests of a person who, unfortunately, believes he embodies FIFA when he is supposed to be at its service,” Lamour said.
asserted
Lamour → serve → service
Frenchman Lamour’s comments came soon after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned in protest against the proposal, calling it “a bad deal for football”.
asserted
Cordeiro → come → football
Infantino withdrew the proposal later the same day.
asserted
Infantino → withdraw → proposal
The backlash to the plan to create a $20bn subsidiary and sell up to a 20 percent stake to private equity investors to raise $4.2bn has not abated, however.
asserted
backlash → create → 4.2bn
Infantino’s bid for re-election for a fourth term as president in March next year, which once looked a formality, is now far from certain.
asserted
which → look → March
The powerful European confederation UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF are ranged in opposition to the 56-year-old Swiss supremo, although he retains the support of the African and South American confederations.
asserted
he → range → confederations
Human rights in sport organisation FairSquare confirmed on Monday it had written to FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC), urging that Infantino be ruled ineligible to seek another term as president.
asserted
Infantino → confirm → president
Backlash puts Infantino’s FIFA presidency under pressure
While FIFA presidents are limited to three terms, Infantino successfully argued in 2022 that his first stint in office from 2016 to 2019 should not count towards that limit because it completed an interrupted mandate.
asserted
it → put → mandate
Infantino was initially elected at an Extraordinary Congress following the resignation of Sepp Blatter amid a corruption scandal.
asserted
Infantino → elect → scandal
He was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
asserted
He → re → 2019
“The complaint we have filed provides clear evidence that this is a clear breach of the rules and one that sets a very dangerous precedent,” FairSquare director Nicholas McGeehan told the Reuters news agency.
asserted
McGeehan → file → agency
“The rules state clearly that three presidential terms is the maximum allowed.
asserted
terms → state → ?
FIFA can’t simply circumvent this rule – which serves as a check on presidential power – by saying that his first term doesn’t count.”
asserted
term → circumvent → power
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
asserted
FIFA → respond → Tuesday
Last week, UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF, which runs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, called for an independent review of Infantino’s conduct.
asserted
which → run → conduct
Sources with knowledge of the situation said the three confederations viewed the letter as an opportunity for Infantino to quit with his dignity intact.
asserted
Infantino → say → dignity
FairSquare’s letter to the GACC was drafted with the assistance of Miguel Maduro, the former head of FIFA’s independent Governance and Review Committee, who said the governing body could not disregard its own rules.
uncertain
body → draft → rules
“The principle of term limits was a fundamental aspect of the 2016 reform aimed at limiting power and the rule introduced is clear: no FIFA President can serve more than three terms of office,” Maduro said in a statement.
asserted
Maduro → aim → statement
“Trying to carve out an exception to such a rule for Mr Infantino reveals both a resistance to the principle of term limits and how some at FIFA conceive of rules not as rules but as obstacles to be circumvented.”
A FairSquare complaint to the International Olympic Committee over Infantino’s alleged breach of the body’s rules on political neutrality because of his support for United States President Donald Trump was rejected last month.
asserted
complaint → try → Trump
