On August 17, local time, FIFA confirmed in a statement that the working relationship between FIFA and its chief operating officer, Frenchman Kevin Lamour, ended on the same day. According to British Sky News and other media reports, the reason Lamour was fired was that he publicly criticized FIFA President Infantino's plan to “sell part of the shares in the World Cup and other events to investors.” A former member of Infantino's “core circle”, Lamour helped him run for election in 2016 and helped it upset him to win the FIFA presidential election. In November 2024, Lamour became FIFA's Chief Operating Officer. Lamour wrote in July of this year that due to the “lack of transparency” in planning plans to sell shares in tournaments such as the World Cup in recent months, FIFA staff have been “deceived” and that they “deserve to be respected, not disdained and intimidated.” Lamour said, “This is just a 'one person' project; it must not be promoted.”

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