FIFA has terminated the employment of Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, according to sources close to the matter. The decision comes less than three weeks after Lamour publicly condemned President Gianni Infantino’s abandoned proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed the departure in a statement, noting that "the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer concluded on 17 August 2026." The organization expressed gratitude for Lamour’s two years of service and extended best wishes for his future endeavors.

Staff were notified of the change via an email from FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström on Monday evening. Grafström informed employees that FIFA and Lamour had "agreed to part ways."

Lamour had previously voiced strong opposition to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative, calling it "the project of one person" and urging football’s political leaders to "ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions." He also claimed FIFA’s administration had been "deceived" about the now-defunct plan.

"Our mission—the mission of the hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary FIFA employees—is to serve football," Lamour stated. "A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite."

While acknowledging his duty of loyalty to FIFA, Lamour emphasized his commitment to "certain values" and his colleagues. "If that means I lose my job, then so be it," he said. "I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight."

Lamour, who joined FIFA in November 2024 after serving as deputy general secretary at UEFA, held a senior position within the organization but reported two levels below Infantino. Earlier this month, Infantino secured the backing of senior executives during a meeting in Morocco, though Lamour was not invited to attend.

FIFA has not yet received a response from Lamour regarding requests for comment.

In a letter to FIFA Council members, obtained by BBC Sport, Grafström provided further details on the decision. "I would like to provide you with an important update regarding a change within the FIFA Administration," he wrote. "Following recent discussions, FIFA and our Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, have agreed to part ways. This decision was made after careful consideration and with great respect for Kevin, both personally and professionally." Grafström also expressed gratitude for Lamour’s contributions and wished him success in the future.

Infantino has faced mounting scrutiny following his proposal to establish FFE, a new entity intended to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was abandoned after widespread backlash greeted his proposal to sell 21% of FFE to private investment firms.

UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation publicly opposed the initiative, with UEFA threatening to boycott the World Cup if the plan proceeded. Lamour’s criticism of Infantino was echoed by Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to the FIFA president, who subsequently resigned.

Following the collapse of the FFE proposal, UEFA and CONCACAF withdrew their support for Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as FIFA president at next March’s Congress. Several CONCACAF members, including Mexico, broke ranks to endorse Infantino, while the confederations of Africa, South America, and Oceania have maintained their backing.

The Scottish Football Association became the latest governing body to withdraw its support for Infantino on Monday, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland in opposition. Meanwhile, football governance charity FairSquare has called on FIFA to block Infantino from seeking re-election.