FIFA President Gianni Infantino received additional compensation of $1.72 million in 2024 from the organization responsible for hosting the 2026 World Cup, according to tax documents filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The payment had not been disclosed in FIFA’s 2024 annual report, raising questions about the transparency of the executive’s compensation and a possible violation of the organization’s bylaws.
According to IRS Form 990, the compensation was provided by FWC2026, an official U.S.-based entity created by FIFA to manage and operate the upcoming World Cup. This amount was in addition to the salary and benefits Infantino received directly from FIFA during that same year.
The organization’s financial reports indicate that his regular compensation totaled 4.274 million Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately $4.86 million. With the additional payment, the total compensation identified in the documents exceeds $6.5 million.
FIFA Denies Irregularities
The failure to disclose this additional income raised questions about compliance with FIFA’s internal rules. Article 43, paragraph 13, of its statutes stipulates that the Remuneration Subcommittee must determine the payments due to the president, the members of the Council, and the secretary general, and that the individual compensation of these officials must be made public.
When contacted by ESPN, a FIFA spokesperson stated that the organization fully complies with all disclosure requirements and categorically rejected any suggestion that its statutes had been violated.
For his part, Miguel Maduro, former chairman of FIFA’s Governance Committee, told The Times that concealing additional payments from entities linked to the organization would constitute a violation of transparency rules.
Maduro acknowledged that Infantino may receive substantial compensation for his duties, but insisted that any such payments must be made public and comply with FIFA’s rules.
The Times was the first media outlet to report on this additional compensation and the potential regulatory concerns it raises.
New Controversies Surrounding Infantino
The revelation adds to other controversies that have surrounded the FIFA president. Earlier this year, news broke of an initiative to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup to outside investors, led by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. The project was called Football Forward Enterprises.
Infantino has also maintained a close relationship with Trump ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. These ties created tensions with leaders from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation, whose representatives demanded his resignation. UEFA even threatened to boycott future FIFA events.
Subsequently, Infantino sought to mend relations with the leaders of the three confederations through a letter in which he expressed his agreement with a proposal to distribute $10 million to each member federation.
Another controversy arose over the disciplinary case involving U.S. forward Folarin Balogun. The striker received a red card during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, a suspension that was supposed to keep him out of the Round of 16 match against Belgium.
However, after Trump called Infantino to discuss the suspension, Balogun received a conditional suspension that allowed him to play in the match, in which the United States lost 4-1 to Belgium.
The next meeting of the FIFA Council is scheduled for this Thursday in Zurich, amid ongoing questions about transparency and the president’s leadership.
