Extra payment to Infantino missing from FIFA report
A US tax filing points to an additional payment to the FIFA president that does not clearly appear in the public annual report.
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Gianni Infantino is under fire again over his remuneration. According to Reuters, a US tax filing states that the FIFA president received $1.76 million from the organisation organising the 2026 World Cup in the United States in 2024, on top of his known FIFA remuneration.
The payment emerged from the filing of FWC2026 US Inc., the US organisation carrying out work on behalf of FIFA relating to the World Cup. Reuters writes that the amount is not separately visible in FIFA’s public financial report for 2024.
The filing lists Infantino as president of FWC2026 US Inc. Publicly available data on the filing, compiled by ProPublica on the basis of IRS documents, lists remuneration of $1.724 million for 2024, as well as other amounts linked to the role. Reuters reports a total package of approximately $1.76 million.
In FIFA’s 2024 annual report, Infantino is listed separately under remuneration for FIFA’s senior management. This creates a discrepancy between what FIFA shows in its own reporting and what the US organisation reports. The available sources do not prove that the payment was kept hidden with the intention of circumventing rules; they do raise questions about how the remuneration was explained.
According to Reuters, FIFA’s statutes require the organisation to disclose the individual remuneration of its president. In previous annual reports, FIFA has explained that, in addition to salary and bonuses, social charges, pension contributions and other employment benefits may be included. The question is therefore not only what amount was paid, but also which category the amount falls under and which institution must report it.
The issue comes at a sensitive moment. The FIFA Council meets on Thursday, and Infantino is expected to face questions there about his remuneration and the financial structure surrounding the World Cup. A US filing is not a judicial finding of wrongdoing, but it does constitute a verifiable document alongside FIFA’s own reporting.
For the world of sport, the issue goes beyond the salary of one executive. FIFA receives billions from World Cups and distributes money among associations and projects. Transparent reporting should make clear how executives are paid, which entities are used for this purpose and whether members and the public receive the same information as regulators.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A US tax filing lists a payment to Infantino by FWC2026 US Inc.
- FIFA also publishes its own overview of his remuneration.
- Reuters reports that the additional payment does not clearly appear in FIFA’s annual report.
- The sources do not establish that Infantino or FIFA committed a criminal offence.
Left
Arguments FIFA manages money that reaches the sport through a global public and national associations. Executives must therefore provide full and understandable accountability; structures involving separate entities must not create confusion around remuneration.
Values Transparency, equality and public oversight of power and financial flows.
Consequences More external oversight and stricter disclosure could limit reputational damage, but may also create higher administrative burdens and reduce managerial flexibility.
Centre
Arguments A discrepancy between two financial reports is initially a governance question, not proof of guilt. An independent review must establish which remuneration belongs where and whether FIFA’s rules were applied correctly.
Values Procedural diligence, verifiability and institutional independence.
Consequences A transparent audit can clarify the issue without pre-empting a judgement, but may lead to adjustments to reporting and remuneration rules.
Right
Arguments An international sports organisation must be able to pay executives at market rates and organise its events efficiently. As long as payments are lawful and properly accounted for, not every high remuneration should be treated as misconduct.
Values Managerial autonomy, freedom of contract and efficiency.
Consequences A restrained approach prevents political interference in sports governance, but may damage trust if the explanation of payments remains insufficiently clear.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The financial amounts and the discrepancy between the US filing and FIFA’s annual report are attributed to public documents and Reuters. The text draws no conclusion about intent or legal guilt.
- confirmed FWC2026 US Inc. reported a payment to Infantino for 2024. — The IRS data is publicly available through ProPublica; Reuters describes the same filing. source
- confirmed Reuters cites an amount of $1.76 million. — This amount appears in the Reuters report. source
- confirmed FIFA publishes Infantino’s remuneration in its 2024 annual report. — The official FIFA page contains the compensation data. source
- confirmed The sources do not prove that the payment was deliberately concealed. — The available documents show a reporting discrepancy, but no judicial finding concerning intent. source
Editor's note
The US filing and the discrepancies with FIFA’s public reporting are documented. It has not been established whether FIFA deliberately concealed the payment or whether it falls under another category under its own reporting rules.Sources
- Infantino accused of banking secret salary in new Fifa row — Reuters via Yahoo News
- FWC2026 US Inc. – Nonprofit Explorer — ProPublica
- Annual Report 2024 – Compensation — FIFA
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „fifa gianni infantino”
- RTL Nieuws — „fifa gianni infantino”
- NOS — „fifa gianni infantino”