The Times Apologizes to Infantino Over Unfounded Financial Accusations

The Times issued a public apology to Gianni Infantino on October 20, acknowledging that several claims published on October 13 against the FIFA president were inaccurate or poorly formulated.

The British newspaper’s initial article claimed that Infantino had received approximately €1.5 million in additional funds in 2024, paid by FWC2026 US Inc., the organization responsible for organizing the World Cup in the United States — on top of the remuneration officially declared by FIFA. Tax documents reportedly served as the basis for this claim.

FIFA had firmly denied these accusations upon their publication. “FIFA does not pay a second salary to its president,” the organization stated, adding that it “firmly rejects any allegation that it failed to disclose financial information and violated its statutes.”

In its corrective statement, The Times clarified that the fees and reimbursements highlighted did not constitute remuneration under Swiss law — a legal distinction that undermines the core of the initial accusation. The newspaper also retracted the allegation regarding the supposed purchase of a property in Miami at an undervalued price, acknowledging that this information was not substantiated.

FIFA distributed the apology statement through its own channels, adding a warning: “FIFA welcomes legitimate scrutiny. But scrutiny is not a license to amplify false allegations.”

This episode comes amid an already tense context for Infantino. For several months, the Italian-Swiss-Lebanese executive has faced opposition within world football, notably from UEFA, linked to a controversial project to sell World Cup stakes to private investors. The Times’ apology provides him with media relief, though it does not dispel the institutional tensions weighing on his mandate.