FIFA’s third-highest-ranking official, Kevin Lamour, has left his position as Chief Operating Officer. The organization confirmed the departure on Monday, which follows a period of internal friction regarding leadership strategy.

Sources provide slightly different context regarding the circumstances of the exit. France24 reports that Lamour’s departure occurred after he publicly criticized President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in major football competitions to private investors. Conversely, ESPN frames the departure as occurring in the wake of the plan's collapse, suggesting the project itself had already failed before or during the transition.

Both outlets agree that the move highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding Infantino’s leadership of the global governing body. While the exact timeline of the policy's failure versus Lamour's departure remains a point of nuance between the reports, the underlying tension involves the commercialization of FIFA’s tournament assets and the internal pushback against the president’s vision for private equity involvement.