FIFA COO Kevin LaMourette, Who Criticized President Infantino, Dismissed After Three Weeks

▲ FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Kevin LaMourette, FIFA Chief Operating Officer (COO) who strongly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in its tournaments, has been dismissed.

The UK's BBC reported today (August 18) that COO LaMourette, who rebelled against President Infantino's plan, was fired in less than three weeks after making his critical remarks.

A FIFA spokesperson officially confirmed through a statement, "As of August 17, 2026, the working relationship between FIFA and COO LaMourette has ended," adding, "We thank him for his dedication over the past two years and wish him the best in his future endeavors."

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström also notified staff via email, stating, "We have decided to part ways by mutual agreement."

This personnel action is interpreted as a punitive measure following former COO LaMourette's public criticism of President Infantino's plan to establish the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE).

Previously, President Infantino announced a vision to establish FFE as a new for-profit entity tasked with generating business performance and managing tournament operations, aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion (approx. 6 trillion won) through stake sales.

However, once the plan became known, it faced fierce backlash from the global football community, and with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) even hinting at the possibility of a World Cup boycott, the plan was scrapped.

Former COO LaMourette described the plan last month as "a project for just one person," urging that "now is the time for football leaders to make the right decision."

At the time, he pointed out, "The president should unite, bring together, and inspire people, but today we are experiencing the opposite," adding, "If I lose my job over these remarks, I will gladly accept it."

In the wake of the FFE fallout, the standing of President Infantino, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term at the FIFA Congress next March, has also been significantly shaken.

After the plan collapsed, UEFA and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) withdrew their support for President Infantino's re-election.

Following England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland, the Scottish Football Association also joined the ranks of withdrawing support on the 17th.

Football confederations in Africa, South America, and Oceania, along with some CONCACAF member states such as Mexico, still maintain their support for President Infantino.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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