FIFA COO Lamour criticises Infantino’s World Cup plan, staff reportedly deceived

By Arjun Nair / 01.08.2026

By Arjun Nair — 31 July 2026 — 4 min read

FIFA Officials Speak Out Against World Cup Plan

Kevin Lamour, FIFA‘s chief operating officer, has stated that staff were deceived regarding President Gianni Infantino‘s plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private equity funds. Lamour, a long-time colleague of Infantino at both FIFA and UEFA, suggested that this project should not proceed. He described the plan as belonging to one person and urged football political leaders to consider the situation and make appropriate decisions.

Lamour’s comments came shortly after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned from his position. Cordeiro, a former president of US Soccer Federation, expressed strong opposition to the proposal, calling it a “bad deal for football.” He stated that he was not involved in discussions about the plan, which is reportedly backed by a New York investment fund associated with Joshua Kushner.

Cordeiro highlighted that FIFA already possesses substantial financial resources, with billions in reserves and no debt. He questioned the rationale behind selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset, suggesting it would be mortgaging football’s future without compelling justification. Cordeiro urged other senior FIFA staff to voice their concerns, emphasising that decisions of such magnitude should prioritise the interests of football over potential profit for certain individuals.

Widespread Opposition to the Proposal

The proposed plan involves spinning off FIFA‘s commercial businesses, including the World Cups for men and women, into a commercial subsidiary. Private investors would own a portion of this subsidiary. UEFA, along with its 55 national associations, has unanimously rejected this proposal. They assert that the World Cup is a sporting legacy, not an investment product, and should not be surrendered to private investors. UEFA has declared that its national teams will not participate in any FIFA competitions if these proposals remain active, unless they are entirely abandoned and binding assurances are given against future private ownership of competitions.

UEFA criticised the secrecy surrounding the proposal’s conception, stating it was brought close to approval without meaningful consultation with those entrusted with managing the game. They described this as a failure of leadership and an abdication of FIFA‘s duty as custodian of world football. UEFA‘s statement highlighted that once external investors acquire ownership interests, commercial returns and investor expectations could dictate decisions regarding the international calendar, competition formats, and the future of football, rather than what best serves the game itself.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also expressed solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF in opposing the plan. The AFC indicated that Infantino’s plan is unlikely to achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity to move forward. They stressed that the FIFA World Cup derives its strength from the participation of all confederations and leading football nations, and any proposal that risks undermining its unity and universal character should be reconsidered.

Concerns Over Governance and Consultation

The AFC‘s statement also criticised FIFA for setting the direction for a significant initiative without consulting stakeholders. They noted that the failure to consult member associations exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA‘s consultation and decision-making processes. The AFC called for an urgent review of FIFA‘s governance framework to ensure that proposals of global significance are developed through proper consultation and engagement.

Carlos Cordeiro, in his resignation statement, questioned the lack of answers to fundamental questions surrounding the deal, such as its necessity, timing, oversight, and beneficiaries. He noted that member associations were being asked to make a significant decision with limited time, which he deemed an irresponsible approach to determining the future of global football. Cordeiro had been a senior adviser for FIFA for nearly five years, representing the body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup.

FIFA has indicated that the proposals would require a simple majority of its 211 members to pass, meaning 106 votes in favour. With UEFA holding 55 votes, CONCACAF 35, and AFC 46, a combined opposition from these confederations would represent 136 nations against the plan, assuming all member associations support their governing bodies’ stance. FIFA has set a November 18 deadline for potential challengers to Infantino, who has been president for over 10 years, to come forward for the next election.

Source: aljazeera.com