Zurich – FIFA announced that its chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, is no longer with the soccer governing body. Lamour, who is based in Zurich, issued a statement on Aug. 1 accusing President Gianni Infantino of misleading staff about a plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private‑equity investors.

In his remarks, Lamour said staff felt “deceived” by Infantino’s lack of openness. He released the statement the same day senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro announced his own departure and described the $20 billion commercial subsidiary proposal as “a bad deal for football.”

A FIFA spokesperson later confirmed that the working relationship with Lamour had ended, thanking him for two years of service and offering no further comment.

Backlash over the commercial proposal

The proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, sparked a furious response from global soccer officials. Continental confederation heads from Europe, Asia, and North, Central America and the Caribbean issued an open letter calling the plan a “fundamental breach of trust” and labeling it deception.

European governing body UEFA warned of a possible boycott of FIFA events, and several national federations have withdrawn support for Infantino. However, six Arab federation leaders publicly reaffirmed their confidence in the president.

Implications for Infantino’s re‑election

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, was expected to run unopposed for another term at the 2027 congress in Morocco. The controversy has intensified scrutiny as FIFA set a Nov. 18 deadline for any challengers to file nominations.

While the commercial plan has been withdrawn, the episode underscores ongoing tensions within FIFA’s leadership and raises questions about future governance and financial strategies for the sport’s premier tournament.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.