Controversy over Infantino’s ‘extra income’: FIFA failed to disclose details of 21 crore payment.

Fresh controversy has arisen regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino's additional income. In addition to his regular salary and benefits from FIFA, he received a substantial sum from FWC-2026, the entity responsible for organizing the 2026 World Cup. However, the omission of this payment from FIFA's 2024 annual financial report has raised questions about the organization's transparency and adherence to its own statutes.

According to documents from FIFA and the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Infantino received $1.72 million from FWC-2026 in 2024—an amount equivalent to approximately 210 million (21 crore) Bangladeshi Taka. The British newspaper *The Times* was the first to publish this information.

Annual income of approximately 800 million Taka

FWC-2026 is a US-based entity established by FIFA to organize and manage the 2026 World Cup. Non-profit organizations in the US are required to submit an annual financial statement known as "Form 990" to the IRS; it was through these documents that the information regarding Infantino's additional income came to light.

In 2024, Infantino received 4.274 million Swiss Francs from FIFA in salary and benefits. At the time, this equated to approximately $4.86 million, or roughly 590 million (59 crore) Bangladeshi Taka.

Including the payment from FWC-2026, Infantino's total income for 2024 amounted to approximately $6.58 million—equivalent to about 800 million (80 crore) Bangladeshi Taka. Yet, the additional $1.72 million received from FWC-2026 was not disclosed in FIFA's annual financial report.

Were FIFA's statutes violated?

Article 43, Section 13 of FIFA's statutes stipulates that the organization's remuneration sub-committee is responsible for determining the compensation of the FIFA President, Council members, and the General Secretary. It also mandates the public disclosure of their individual remuneration details.

However, FIFA denies any allegations of rule violations. In a statement to ESPN regarding this matter, a FIFA spokesperson said that the organization fully complies with all disclosure requirements. They strongly rejected any suggestion that FIFA's statutes had been violated.

On the other hand, Miguel Maduro, the former chairman of FIFA's Governance Committee, views the issue differently. He told *The Times* that if Infantino received additional funds from an entity linked to FIFA without disclosing them, it could clearly constitute a violation of the rules. In his view, FIFA's statutes mandate complete transparency.

Controversy over plans to sell World Cup ownership

Controversy surrounding Infantino is nothing new. Earlier this year, news emerged of a plan to sell a 20 percent stake in the 2026 World Cup to external investors. The investor group behind this plan—dubbed "Football Forward Enterprises"—was led by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

Infantino’s close relationship with Trump leading up to the 2026 World Cup also drew attention; he was frequently seen at the White House. The proposal to sell a share of the World Cup's ownership sparked a backlash within various circles of football administration. The heads of UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) demanded Infantino's resignation, with UEFA even threatening to boycott future FIFA competitions.

Infantino later took steps to mend relations with the heads of these three continental football bodies. In a letter sent to them, he agreed to a proposal to provide $10 million to the football association of every FIFA member nation.

Criticism over disciplinary decisions

Infantino also faced criticism regarding a disciplinary decision made during the World Cup. In a Round of 32 match, the United States defeated Bosnia 2–0; during that game, US forward Folarin Balogun was shown a red card. Under the rules, he was not supposed to play against Belgium in the Round of 16.

However, reports indicate that US President Trump called Infantino regarding Balogun's suspension. Subsequently, the decision was made to suspend the penalty and place him under probationary observation, allowing him to play against Belgium—though the United States ultimately lost that match 4–1.

Amidst such controversies, the next meeting of the FIFA Council is scheduled to be held in Zurich, Switzerland, this coming Thursday. The football world will now be watching to see whether the questions surrounding Infantino's excessive earnings come up for discussion there.