English Premier League
FIFA operations chief accuses Infantino of deceiving staff over World Cup investment plan
FIFA’s executive director of operations Kevin Lamour has publicly criticised president Gianni Infantino, accusing the organisation’s employees of being “deceived” over plans to open a company linked to the World Cup to private investors.
Lamour, a long-standing colleague of Infantino’s from their time at UEFA and FIFA, said staff “deserve better than contempt and intimidation” in comments reported by the Associated Press on Friday.
The French official, who has held his current position since 2024, described the proposal as a “one-man project” and called on football leaders to “ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions”.
Despite his strong criticism, Lamour has not resigned. He said he felt a responsibility towards his colleagues at FIFA and accepted that speaking out could put his position at risk.
“If that means I lose my job, so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I will sleep well tonight,” he said.
The dispute comes as opposition in Europe grows to Infantino’s plans for a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise. The proposed business would combine FIFA’s commercial activities with the organisation of its tournaments, while allowing private-sector investors to buy a minority stake.
FIFA has valued the company at about $20bn and said it could raise as much as $4.2bn through the sale of that minority holding. The governing body has maintained that it would retain control of the company, sporting decisions and the governance of its competitions.
The proposal has faced resistance from figures within European football, with concerns centred on the potential sale of a stake connected to the World Cup.
The crisis also led to the resignation of American Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, who stepped down in opposition to the project.
British finance minister John Healey has also said FIFA’s plans are “falling apart”. He said he was proud to support the campaign being led by The Football Association and UEFA against the sale of a stake linked to the World Cup.
Lamour’s intervention represents one of the most direct public challenges to Infantino from within FIFA. His decision to remain in his role, despite warning that he could lose his job, underlines the seriousness of the internal disagreement over the proposed commercial structure.
