Infantino's exorbitant salary in the FFE project sparked controversy
According to Sports.
Context
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, has been a polarizing figure in world football. His potential 525% salary increase has sparked discontent among critics who argue that FIFA should prioritize football's well-being rather than seeking exorbitant profits. The current situation may influence public perception of his leadership and FIFA's future directions.
Why this matters
Gianni Infantino's exorbitant salary, which could have reached $30 million, raises questions about the ethics of FIFA management. The FFE project proposal, now shelved, generated a heated debate about the commercialization of football and the entity's responsibility to redistribute resources fairly among its affiliated associations. The controversy also reflects distrust of FIFA's transparency and governance.
Main conclusions
- Infantino's exorbitant salary in the FFE project sparked controversy.
- The FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project has been shelved, but revelations about Gianni Infantino's potential salary have sparked controversy and criticism.
- Infantino eyed an XXL salary with his FFE project 🤯💸 (The Times).
Revelations about the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project continue to surprise the football world. According to information from the newspaper _The Times_, Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, would have the chance to earn an annual salary of an impressive **$30 million** — around **€26 million** — if he had taken charge of FIFA's future commercial company. This proposal, which has now been discarded, reignited an intense debate about the direction of the organization of world football.
For context, in June 2026, FIFA released its financial report, which revealed that Infantino received **$4.6 million** in 2025. This means that, had the FFE project been approved, the FIFA president would have seen his salary increase by **525%**. A colossal increase that reignited criticism regarding a project that, under pressure from several powerful confederations such as UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC, ended up being abandoned.
Critics of the FFE point out that the proposal would open the door to the unbridled commercialization of world football, something that FIFA has always denied. The entity guarantees that the objective of the FFE was simply to increase commercial revenue to redistribute more resources to its 211 affiliated associations, and not to "sell football". This narrative, however, does not convince everyone, and many see the plan as a dangerous step towards the excessive commodification of sport.
FIFA, in its defense, argues that the project's intention was to help strengthen football globally, but doubts persist. With increasing pressure for football governance to focus on sport development and inclusion, the future of FIFA's commercial initiatives continues tobe a delicate topic.
As more details about the FFE emerge, the debate over FIFA's ethics and priorities intensifies. For many, the idea of such a high salary for the FIFA president, at a time when football is facing financial and social challenges, is simply unacceptable. And so, the football world is watching closely what comes next after the dismantling of the FFE project.
What happens next
With the FFE project scrapped, FIFA may face a period of reassessment of its commercial and governance strategies. Pressure from confederations such as UEFA and Concacaf could lead to greater resistance to proposals aimed at the excessive commercialization of football. Infantino's future as FIFA president may also be questioned, especially as criticism of his tenure grows.