FIFA Quietly Paid Millions In Taxes For Its President

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) FIFA promises to disclose its executives' compensation. But its under-fire president received tax benefits that were never made public, according to documents and interviews. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: FIFA quietly paid millions in taxes for its president This content was published on November 8, 2026 - 10:00 10 minutes Tariq Panja, The New York Times

A typically dry meeting of the three-person committee that determines the pay of FIFA's most senior officials was winding down in Bangkok one day in May 2024 when one member brought up what he considered a pressing matter.

Bruno Chiomento, a Swiss accountant, noted that FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, had relocated from Switzerland to Miami - where he would face higher income taxes - ahead of the 2026 World Cup. FIFA should pay to offset that extra tax burden through 2026, Chiomento argued. The other members quickly agreed without much further discussion, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. FIFA would ultimately pay 100% of Infantino's tax bill to the U.S. government.

FIFA's secret tax deal for Infantino

A decade ago, an international corruption scandal nearly brought the end of soccer's global governing body and vaulted Infantino into power. FIFA introduced sweeping transparency reforms in response, including a bylaw requiring that the compensation of top leadership be made public.

But to the consternation of several senior officials, the tax benefit approved in the Bangkok meeting was never disclosed in filings, according to documents reviewed by the Times and two people familiar with the benefit, who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss internal matters. By the time Infantino's three-year American assignment is over, FIFA will have paid about $4 million of his taxes. Infantino earns about $6 million per year, according to FIFA's annual report.

“All FIFA's internal regulations and processes, and all applicable laws, have been followed,” FIFA said in a statement.“FIFA ensures all reporting and taxation requirements are met.” FIFA declined to provide further detail about its tax arrangement with Infantino, but it added that any payments to senior management were independently audited.

Infantino has courted controversy in recent years over how he has run the top institution for the world's most popular sport, including his courtship of President Donald Trump, his business dealings on behalf of FIFA and efforts to steer the World Cup to Saudi Arabia.

He is now facing his biggest crisis, after news emerged in July that he secretly held talks to sell a share of World Cup rights to a company owned by the brother of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. A global outcry followed, with governments and global soccer officials calling into question his suitability to continue running the 122-year-old institution. He is standing for reelection in March.

A circle of allies and privileges at FIFA

The U.S. tax arrangement fits a broader pattern of Infantino's benefiting personally at FIFA with the help of people who themselves have received perks, including weekslong trips to the recent World Cup, complete with travel, luxury accommodation and access to the most prestigious areas of the stadiums, the documents show.

Chiomento, the former chair of Ernst & Young's Swiss unit who first raised the tax matter, has known Infantino for years. He received advice from outside experts - including David Zollinger, Infantino's personal lawyer, documents show. FIFA's own administrative staff had concerns about a conflict of interest in hiring Zollinger, but the organization still called on his services for several issues that could affect his client.

FIFA declined to comment on why figures connected to Infantino advised on his personal tax affairs. Chiomento did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Zollinger, citing attorney-client privilege, also declined to comment.

During the Bangkok meeting, Chiomento argued that since FIFA, which has its headquarters in Zurich, had agreed to pay any additional taxes for about a dozen staff members who needed to move to the United States to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, it should do the same for Infantino. Still, some senior FIFA officials have questioned not only the calculation that Infantino should contribute nothing toward his American tax bill but also the message it sent about the privileges enjoyed by the organization's most senior figures.

FIFA's staff members had received tax advice from a separate group of experts that did not include Zollinger, the FIFA president's lawyer, according to the documents.

As FIFA's chief of governance, compliance and audit, Chiomento holds outsize influence over Infantino's tenure as president - a position amplified by his concurrent role as chair of the compensation committee. He has also been called upon to weigh in on other sensitive matters involving the president.

One arose this year before the World Cup. Infantino unilaterally chose to replace FIFA-assigned drivers with GRIZ Global Solutions, a security firm run by an American Special Forces veteran that bills itself as providing“tier one” service to the world's most important people. He then requested that the same level of service be provided for his wife throughout June and July, covering the period of the tournament, the documents show. When asked to approve that additional agreement, Chiomento agreed within hours.

FIFA would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars with GRIZ. Internally, at least one official questioned the necessity of providing Infantino's wife such services, the documents show. The daily rate was $1,300 per Griz agent, not including the cost of cars, drivers and other expenses.

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