The Times apologises to Infantino over salary report

British newspaper The Times has apologised to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and football’s governing body after admitting that a report alleging he received an undisclosed second salary was incorrect.

In a correction published on October 21, the newspaper acknowledged that its October 13 report had wrongly claimed that Infantino received a second salary from FIFA that was not disclosed in the organisation’s annual report.

The Times said there was no second salary, explaining that expenses and reimbursements received by Infantino are not considered compensation under Swiss reporting requirements and therefore do not have to be included in FIFA’s annual report.

The newspaper also corrected its claims about a property in Miami, acknowledging that Infantino had not purchased it at a suspected undervalue. It further clarified that neither Infantino nor his family are the legal or beneficial owners of Shadi LLC or have control over the company, contrary to what the original report had suggested.

“We are happy to make these corrections and apologise to Mr Infantino and Fifa for the errors,” The Times said.

FIFA welcomed the correction and apology, describing the episode as part of what it called a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine the organisation and its president.

The governing body urged media organisations to verify their sources carefully and act responsibly to prevent the publication and circulation of false or defamatory information.

FIFA also stressed that it welcomed legitimate scrutiny but said criticism did not justify publishing false allegations. It added that it would continue to challenge inaccurate, misleading or false reporting.

The controversy comes amid wider scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership following a proposed plan to bring private investment into FIFA’s commercial rights associated with the World Cup. The proposal has drawn criticism from football officials over transparency and governance.