FIFA Faces Transparency Questions Over $1.72m Payment to Infantino

Fresh questions have emerged over FIFA’s financial transparency after reports revealed that president Gianni Infantino received an undisclosed $1.72 million payment from the body established to oversee the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Documents from FIFA and the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS), obtained by ESPN, reportedly show that the payment was made in 2024 by FWC2026, the US-based entity responsible for managing and operating the tournament.

The payment was separate from Infantino’s regular FIFA salary and benefits, which amounted to 4.274 million Swiss francs, or approximately $4.86 million, in the same year.

According to ESPN, the additional compensation was not included in FIFA’s 2024 annual report, raising questions about whether the organisation met its statutory obligations to disclose the remuneration of its top officials.

Article 43, paragraph 13 of FIFA’s statutes states that the Compensation Sub-Committee is responsible for determining the compensation of the FIFA president, council members and secretary general. The provision also says their individual compensation “shall be made public”.

FIFA has denied any breach of its financial disclosure requirements, insisting that its reporting practices comply with the relevant rules.

A FIFA spokesperson told ESPN that the organisation “fully complies with all reporting requirements and strongly rejects any suggestion there has been a violation of FIFA’s Statutes”.

The spokesperson also denied that Infantino received a second salary from FIFA, saying his annual compensation and contractual benefits were determined 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 said.

The organisation further stated that its accounts were independently audited and that its financial declarations complied with tax regulations in Switzerland, the United States and other countries.

Former Governance Chairman Raises Concerns

The Times was the first to report the additional payment from FWC2026 and the questions surrounding its disclosure.

Miguel Maduro, who previously chaired FIFA’s governance committee, told the newspaper that withholding information about additional payments from FIFA-related entities would violate the organisation’s transparency rules.

He argued that FIFA’s statutes required complete transparency and that its Compensation Sub-Committee should not approve alternative remuneration arrangements that were not publicly disclosed.

The issue adds to the growing scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership and FIFA’s commercial decisions.

Infantino has faced criticism over a proposal announced earlier this year to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup to private investors. The reported plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, attracted opposition from football officials who expressed concerns about transparency and the management of the sport’s commercial interests.

His close relationship with US President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 World Cup has also drawn criticism. The tournament is being hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino is expected to meet FIFA Council members in Zurich on Thursday as discussions continue over the organisation’s governance and financial arrangements.

The FIFA president has also confirmed that he plans to contest the presidency again in March 2027, despite criticism from some officials over his leadership.