FIFA’s $20 billion World Cup sell-off sparks internal revolt as COO turns on president

FIFA’s chief operating officer just went scorched earth on his own boss. Kevin Lamour publicly accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of deceiving staff over a proposal to sell a large minority stake in the organization’s most valuable assets, including the World Cup itself. Lamour said he was willing to lose his job for speaking out, adding that FIFA staff “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.” The $20 billion question Infantino has been pushing a plan to create a new company that would oversee FIFA’s marquee events, including the World Cup and the Club World Cup. The idea is to sell a large minority stake in that entity, with the goal of generating roughly $20 billion. The money, according to Infantino’s pitch, would be used to triple the development funding FIFA distributes to its 211 member associations. An inside job gone sideways What makes Lamour’s criticism particularly damaging is that he wasn’t some outside agitator. He’s been FIFA’s COO since November 1, 2024, and by his own account, he and Infantino had been developing this proposal together for several months. The timing matters too. This erupted on July 31, 2026, which puts it squarely in the window when FI...