[US] FIFA president Gianni Infantino received undisclosed $1.7M World Cup payment

Documents from FIFA and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service have revealed that FIFA president Gianni Infantino received previously undisclosed compensation from the business entity in charge of the 2026 World Cup, ESPN reports. 

The lack of transparency around the additional compensation potentially violates FIFA statutes.

US-based nonprofits must file IRS Form 990 annually. Mr Infantino reportedly received $1.72 million in 2024 from FWC2026, the official U.S.-based entity set up by FIFA to manage and operate the 2026 World Cup.

This compensation was in addition to Mr Infantino's regular salary and benefits from FIFA for 2024. These, according to FIFA's financial reports for that year, totalled 4.274 million CHF, or around $4.86 million. 

The additional compensation wasn't disclosed in FIFA's 2024 annual report. This is the last year for which FWC2026's Form 990 is publicly available.

According to Article 43, paragraph 13 of FIFA's statutes, "The Compensation Sub-Committee shall in particular define Compensation Rules and determine the compensation of the FIFA President, the members of the Council and the FIFA Secretary General. The individual compensation of the FIFA President, the members of the Council and the FIFA Secretary General shall be made public."

A FIFA spokesperson told ESPN, "FIFA fully complies with all reporting requirements and strongly rejects any suggestion there has been a violation of FIFA's Statutes."

In a second statement to ESPN, a FIFA spokesperson said, "FIFA does not pay a second salary to the FIFA President and complies with all reporting requirements in relation to compensation. The FIFA President's annual compensation, as well as other contractual benefits, are decided by the independent Compensation Sub-Committee.

"FIFA strongly rejects any claims that it has failed to disclose any financial information and has violated FIFA's Statutes," the spokesperson added. "FIFA accounts are independently audited, and all declarations are in line with tax regulations in Switzerland, the United States and elsewhere.

"FIFA is fully focused on the FIFA Council meeting on Thursday and looks forward to discussions with its members to further grow the game following the most successful FIFA World Cup in history."

According to previous reporting from The Times, Miguel Maduro - the former chairman of the FIFA governance committee - stated that not making Infantino's additional salary public "is a clear contravention of the rules if he is paid other amounts by companies related to FIFA and it is not made public. The FIFA statutes impose an obligation of full transparency. It is not appropriate for the FIFA compensation sub-committee to authorise other forms of remuneration. I agree the president of FIFA needs to be very well paid, but that needs to be transparent.”

Source: ESPN

(Links and quotes via original reporting)

Documents from FIFA and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service have revealed that FIFA president Gianni Infantino received previously undisclosed compensation from the business entity in charge of the 2026 World Cup, ESPN reports. 

The lack of transparency around the additional compensation potentially violates FIFA statutes.

US-based nonprofits must file IRS Form 990 annually. Mr Infantino reportedly received $1.72 million in 2024 from FWC2026, the official U.S.-based entity set up by FIFA to manage and operate the 2026 World Cup.

This compensation was in addition to Mr Infantino's regular salary and benefits from FIFA for 2024. These, according to FIFA's financial reports for that year, totalled 4.274 million CHF, or around $4.86 million. 

The additional compensation wasn't disclosed in FIFA's 2024 annual report. This is the last year for which FWC2026's Form 990 is publicly available.

According to Article 43, paragraph 13 of FIFA's statutes, "The Compensation Sub-Committee shall in particular define Compensation Rules and determine the compensation of the FIFA President, the members of the Council and the FIFA Secretary General. The individual compensation of the FIFA President, the members of the Council and the FIFA Secretary General shall be made public."

A FIFA spokesperson told ESPN, "FIFA fully complies with all reporting requirements and strongly rejects any suggestion there has been a violation of FIFA's Statutes."

In a second statement to ESPN, a FIFA spokesperson said, "FIFA does not pay a second salary to the FIFA President and complies with all reporting requirements in relation to compensation. The FIFA President's annual compensation, as well as other contractual benefits, are decided by the independent Compensation Sub-Committee.

"FIFA strongly rejects any claims that it has failed to disclose any financial information and has violated FIFA's Statutes," the spokesperson added. "FIFA accounts are independently audited, and all declarations are in line with tax regulations in Switzerland, the United States and elsewhere.

"FIFA is fully focused on the FIFA Council meeting on Thursday and looks forward to discussions with its members to further grow the game following the most successful FIFA World Cup in history."

According to previous reporting from The Times, Miguel Maduro - the former chairman of the FIFA governance committee - stated that not making Infantino's additional salary public "is a clear contravention of the rules if he is paid other amounts by companies related to FIFA and it is not made public. The FIFA statutes impose an obligation of full transparency. It is not appropriate for the FIFA compensation sub-committee to authorise other forms of remuneration. I agree the president of FIFA needs to be very well paid, but that needs to be transparent.”

Source: ESPN

(Links and quotes via original reporting)