FIFA President Gianni Infantino has found himself at the center of a deepening governance crisis after it was revealed that he received an undisclosed payment of 1.76 million pounds sterling (equivalent to approximately 29 million riyals) related to the organization of this year's World Cup.
These details, discovered in public documents submitted to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), show that the subsidiary non-profit entity FWC2026 US Inc, created to manage the tournament involving 48 teams in North America, transferred this seven-figure sum to Infantino in 2024.
The main issue threatening to undermine FIFA's carefully constructed reform narrative is not only the amount of the payment but also the fact that it was excluded from official reporting. In the annual financial reports published by FIFA itself, Infantino's official income for 2024 was declared at approximately 4.27 million Swiss francs (about 85.1 million riyals).
However, the additional sum of $1.76 million paid through the American World Cup structure did not appear in the main public financial report, leading to accusations of a direct violation of FIFA's governance statutes.
Disclosure Issues
According to Article 43 of FIFA statutes, the individual compensation of the president, secretary general, and members of the organization's council must be fully disclosed. Critics argue that channeling executive compensation through regional subsidiaries weakens these guarantees and allows evasion of mandatory oversight by FIFA's independent compensation subcommittee.
This scandal occurred immediately after the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, which FIFA declared one of the most financially successful tournaments in football history, breaking all records for attendance and commercial revenue.
The revelations, first appearing in The Times, provoked sharp criticism from management experts and senior football executives across Europe. Earlier this year, Infantino also faced strong opposition regarding the cancelled plan to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors.
Miguel Maduro, former chairman of the FIFA governance committee, gave a clear assessment of payments from subsidiaries: 'It is a clear breach of rules if he is paid other sums by companies associated with FIFA, and it is not done publicly.'
Independent monitoring bodies supported these concerns, warning that undisclosed payments from subsidiaries threaten to overturn the governance reforms implemented after Sepp Blatter's fall in 2015.
Denial of Allegations
FIFA quickly defended its chief executive officer, firmly denying any violation of internal ethical norms or financial regulations in an official statement. It stated: 'FIFA does not pay a second salary to the FIFA president and complies with all compensation reporting requirements. The annual compensation of the FIFA president, as well as other contractual benefits, is determined by the independent compensation subcommittee.'
Nevertheless, it was noted that they did not deny the fact of the payment being made. Representatives of the global football governing body stated that all financial reports undergo thorough independent audits and fully comply with the tax laws of Switzerland, the USA, and international standards.
Despite FIFA's objections, FIFA council members, supported by influential figures in UEFA, are preparing to meet with Infantino at an executive meeting in Zurich. As dissatisfaction grows among European associations, high-ranking UEFA figures have begun recruiting Arsenal former coach Arsène Wenger to challenge Infantino for the FIFA presidency.
Reformers view Wenger, who currently heads global football development at FIFA, as a globally respected figure capable of restoring trust in leadership. Former UEFA boss Alex Phillips told BBC Sport that Wenger 'will bring honesty to football governance at FIFA.'
Although Wenger has not yet confirmed his participation in the race, the application deadline for elections expires on November 18, just before the FIFA Congress elections in Rabat on March 18, 2027.