Infantino accused of collecting £1.3m secret salary in new FIFA controversy

Infantino accused of collecting £1.3m secret salary in new FIFA controversy FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been accused of breaching the body’s transparency rules after allegedly receiving an undisclosed £1.3 million payment in addition to his publicly declared salary. US Internal Revenue Service filings reportedly show that FWC2026 US Inc, a subsidiary involved in organising the 2026 World Cup , paid the FIFA president $1.76m (£1.3m) in 2024. The payment appears to have been omitted from FIFA’s annual report for that year, despite the organisation’s statutes requiring the president’s compensation to be made public. Infantino was officially reported to have earned 4.27m Swiss francs, approximately £3.88m, in 2024. The additional payment would significantly increase his declared earnings for the year. Miguel Maduro, former chairman of FIFA’s governance committee, criticised the apparent omission and called for an investigation into the arrangement. “It is a clear contravention of the rules if he is paid other amounts by companies related to FIFA and it is not made public,” Maduro told The Times . A source familiar with the accounts also claimed Infantino received similar sums, or potentially more, in 2025 and 2026. However, FIFA defended the compensation arrangements, insisting that its compensation sub-committee determines the president’s salary and contractual benefits. The governing body added that it reported payments relating to pension contributions, social charges and other employment benefits to US authorities. The allegations come at a difficult time for Infantino, who faces serious scrutiny ahead of Thursday’s FIFA Council meeting in Zurich. Football Association chairwoman Debbie Hewitt is expected to lead calls for more accountability. She has demanded the release of documents relating to FIFA’s abandoned World Cup investment proposal and its decision to suspend the ban on US striker Folarin Balogun. The meeting will also examine FIFA’s controversial peace prize, which Infantino awarded to US President Donald Trump last December without first putting the nomination to the council. Despite the backlash, Infantino is expected to remain in office, with no candidates challenging him in next year’s presidential election. The latest salary allegations will likely prompt more calls for an independent investigation into his leadership and FIFA’s finances.