Infantino faces calls to resign after undeclared £1.3m salary payment

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing mounting pressure to resign following revelations of an undeclared second salary payment of £1.3m for 2024. This payment was made in addition to his reported salary of £3.88m for the same year. FIFA has committed to transparency regarding Infantino's earnings since 2016, yet this additional payment from FWC2026, the company responsible for the upcoming World Cup, was not disclosed in the annual report.

FIFA's statutes mandate that the individual compensation of the FIFA president and other key officials be made public. Despite this requirement, the undeclared payment raises questions about the organisation's commitment to transparency. FIFA stated that the president's compensation is determined by a sub-committee and that all contractual benefits are reported to US authorities as required.

While Infantino's presidency has been marred by controversy, he continues to resist calls for his resignation, citing sufficient support for his re-election bid in March of next year. His backing appears strong in regions such as Africa and South America, despite losing support from UEFA and some federations in North America and Asia. No viable challenger has emerged to contest his position.

Infantino's previous elections in 2019 and 2023 were uncontested, and he originally took office in 2016 after defeating four candidates. FIFA's rules typically limit presidents to three terms, but Infantino is permitted to run again due to FIFA's interpretation of his initial term. Candidates interested in standing against him have until November 18 to declare their intentions.

via Sky Sports