FIFA President Gianni Infantino received $1.72 million in 2024 from FWC2026, the U.S.-based organizing body for the 2026 World Cup, according to an IRS Form 990 filing — a payment that did not appear in FIFA's own published financial reports for the year.
The compensation came on top of Infantino's regular salary and benefits from FIFA, which the organization disclosed separately in its 2024 financial statements. The Form 990, which U.S.-based nonprofits must file annually, is the only public document where the additional payment appears.
The disclosure raises questions about compliance with FIFA's own governing rules. Article 43, paragraph 13 of FIFA's statutes states that "the Compensation Sub-Committee shall in particular define Compensation Rules and determine the compensation of the members of the FIFA Council and the Secretary General" — language that leaves unclear whether a separate payment from a related organizing body falls under that oversight.
A FIFA spokesperson defended the arrangement, saying: "FIFA fully complies with all reporting requirements and strongly rejects any suggestion there has been a violation of FI[FA regulations]." The organization did not address why the payment was disclosed only through the U.S. tax filing rather than FIFA's own financial reports.
FWC2026 is the American nonprofit entity established to run the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — the first World Cup staged across three countries. Because FWC2026 is registered in the U.S., its Form 990 becomes a matter of public record, unlike FIFA's internal compensation decisions, which are reviewed by its Compensation Sub-Committee.
The payment is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016. Earlier this year, he faced scrutiny over his relationship with the Kushner family — Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Infantino built close ties to Trump ahead of the 2026 tournament, which will culminate in a final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
FIFA has not released the Compensation Sub-Committee's full rules or the specific terms of Infantino's FWC2026 arrangement. The $1.72 million figure represents roughly a quarter of the $7.2 million in total compensation Infantino received across both FIFA and FWC2026 for 2024, based on the figures disclosed in the two filings.
The 2026 World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, is projected to generate more than $11 billion in revenue for FIFA, according to the organization's own forecasts — a scale that has drawn increased attention to how its leadership is compensated.
