FIFA legal chief García Silvero steps down
Emilio García Silvero is stepping down as FIFA’s chief legal and compliance officer after more than eight years, with football regulations chief Jan Kleiner taking interim charge.
FIFA has confirmed that Emilio García Silvero will leave its Legal and Compliance Division and return to Spain after 15 years working abroad in international football. His departure follows the exit of chief operating officer Kevin Lamour in August.García Silvero joined FIFA after the 2018 World Cup, having previously worked with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at UEFA. He led teams in Zürich and Miami and oversaw reforms to how international transfers are processed, how payments are handled and how football agents are regulated.García Silvero said: “It has truly been a dream to work alongside colleagues from around the world to improving the regulatory framework of international football. None of this would have been possible without the people, the team, and colleagues from other national and international football institutions who shared the same passion and ambition: to make the system better. "I would also like to thank the FIFA President and Secretary General for their trust and support over all these years.”Among the projects he led was the establishment of the FIFA Clearing House, which handles payments such as training compensation and solidarity contributions owed to clubs that helped develop players. His division also worked with FIFA’s six confederations to make football regulations easier to access and understand.FIFA said Kleiner, its Zürich-based head of football regulations, would take interim charge of the legal and compliance departments in Miami. García Silvero also sits on the management board of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, which hears appeals against FIFA decisions, including rulings in contractual disputes involving clubs, players and coaches.FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström said: “We thank Emilio for the commitment, professionalism and empathy he has shown in serving global football. Since joining FIFA nearly a decade ago, he has made an invaluable contribution to our organisation and helped modernise international football’s legal framework. His efforts have left the game in a better place, and we wish him every success in his next chapter.”Lamour stepped down in August amid opposition to FIFA Forward Enterprise, Infantino’s plan to bring private investors into a company that would manage the commercial interests of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions.FIFA abandoned the plan after three continental confederations rejected it. FIFA described García Silvero’s departure as a decision to return to Spain and pursue a new professional opportunity.The leadership change comes ahead of an extraordinary FIFA Congress on November 23 to appoint the hosts of the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups. The deadline for nominations in FIFA’s presidential election is November 18, with the vote scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.