FIFA confirms the departure of Chief Operating Officer Romuald.

On the 17th, FIFA confirmed that its Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Ramuel, had left his position that day. Ramuel had publicly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to establish a commercial subsidiary. FIFA stated that it had ended its working relationship with Ramuel on the 17th. FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafstrm stated in a letter to staff and council members that the two sides had "agreed to part ways" after recent discussions. Ramuel had previously worked for UEFA and became FIFA's Chief Operating Officer in November 2024. At the end of July, he openly opposed FIFA's plan to establish a subsidiary called "FIFA Forward Company" and sell equity to external investors. Ramuel described the proposal at the time as "a project for one person." "If that means I will lose my job, so be it." Former FIFA senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro also opposed the proposal at the end of July and resigned over it. The plan was initially intended for FFE to be responsible for the commercial development and operation of events like the World Cup and to sell up to 20% of its equity to external investors, but it faced opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC upon announcement. The three major football associations issued a joint statement this month, emphasizing that "football does not belong to any individual." Ultimately, FIFA decided to abandon the commercial proposal. On August 5, FIFA apologized for the controversy arising from the proposal, acknowledging that there had been errors in the relevant processes and promising to improve internal decision-making procedures.