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The chief operating officer of FIFA has accused Gianni Infantino of 'deceiving' staff in relation to the plot to sell World Cup stakes to private investors, adding the proposal 'must not go ahead'.

Infantino unveiled plans to sell off a portion of FIFA's commercial businesses, including tournaments such as the World Cup and the Club World Cup, to private investors. However, his proposal has been met with a ferocious backlash from football's other governing bodies including UEFA, whose nations are ready to boycott future World Cups if the plans go ahead.

One of the 56-year-old's senior advisors, Carlos Cordeiro, has already resigned over the plans. And now another of Infantino's colleagues has torn into the proposal.

Kevin Lamour, who has been FIFA's COO since 2024, says Infantino “deceived” staff with his scheme in a damning statement shared with AP, saying they “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.”

“It is the project of one person,” Lamour said. “Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”

Lamour, who also worked with Infantino at UEFA previously, did not resign from his post like Cordeiro but added: “And if that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”

His comments come hot on the heels of Cordeiro deciding to resign from his post over the plans, which prompted UEFA to confirm their nations will boycott future tournaments if they go ahead.

“I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said.

“Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” he added, describing the proposed $20 billion commercial subsidiary as a “bad deal for football”.

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