FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour Criticises FIFA President Gianni Infantino's Plan to Sell World Cup Stakes

Key Points:

By Gopal Ram Tripathi

FIFA, THE ORGANISATION that runs world football, is facing a big internal problem. President Gianni Infantino wants to sell parts of FIFA's major tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors. This plan has caused a lot of anger among football leaders around the world. Now, even FIFA's own chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, has spoken out against it. He said the plan felt like it belonged to just one person and that FIFA's own staff were kept in the dark about it. On the same day, another confederation criticised the plan, a senior adviser resigned, and even the UK Prime Minister called Infantino "the wrong man" to lead FIFA.

See Also: FIFA and ECA establish a Memorandum of Agreement

Criticism Surrounding The FIFA Governing Body

Kevin Lamour, who works just two levels below Infantino, gave a strong statement to the press. He said the plan was "the project of one person" and that FIFA's administration had been misled about it. He explained that FIFA's mission should be to serve football, and a good leader should unite people, not divide them. He even said he was ready to lose his job over speaking up, because he wanted to stay true to his values.

Along with Lamour, another senior figure resigned from FIFA. Carlos Cordeiro, who had advised Infantino for almost five years, said he strongly disagreed with the plan. He said FIFA should not try to make more money at any cost, and that its real job is to protect football for the future. He also asked important questions that have not been answered, like why this deal is happening now and who really benefits from it. He pointed out that member countries are being asked to decide on something this big in just 50 days.

Several football confederations have also spoken against the plan. UEFA, which oversees European football, already voted to boycott the World Cup if the plan goes ahead. After that, Concacaf, which manages football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the plan. Now the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined them, saying the plan risks damaging the unity of football. Because of this growing opposition, it looks unlikely the plan will get enough votes to pass, since together these confederations control more votes than needed to block it.

See Also: FIFA-Trump World Cup Controversy: Only 1 out of 18 Officials Cleared USA’S Red Card Reversal

President Infantino Looks To Create A New Company

Infantino's plan involves creating a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). Outside investors would be allowed to buy a small, non-controlling share in this company, which would run FIFA's big events like the World Cup. A detailed document made by the bank JP Morgan says this plan could increase payouts to each football association in the future. However, the document does not mention anything about women's football, which some people see as a serious problem. If approved, an American investment company called Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, is expected to lead the group of investors.

Even though many countries oppose the plan, some poorer nations may still support it. Football officials from countries like Uganda have said that any plan bringing in more money could help build stadiums, schools, and grassroots football programs in places where resources are limited. Wealthier confederations like UEFA may not depend on FIFA's funding as much, but smaller nations often do, which is why opinions on this plan are divided.

This growing conflict shows just how divided football's biggest decision-makers have become. What started as a business plan to bring in private investors has turned into a major dispute about who really controls the future of the World Cup. With senior FIFA officials resigning, major confederations threatening boycotts, and even world leaders criticising Infantino, the pressure on him is increasing fast. Whether the plan survives now depends on whether enough member nations vote against it in the coming weeks, but so far, it seems Infantino may struggle to get the support he needs.

Suggested Reading: