Fifa whistleblower: how Gianni Infantino keeps his grip on football
FIFA whistleblower Bonita Mersiades says Gianni Infantino maintains control by expanding FIFA's standing committees to 35 in 2024, handing allies lucrative stipends, travel perks and tournament access that secure loyalty ahead of his expected 2027 re-election bid—even as he earns a $6 million annual package.
A decade after Sepp Blatter's fall, damaging allegations continue to hit football's world governing body—from secret payments to ticketing claims—even as the 2026 World Cup unfolds across North America. Mersiades, who exposed corruption in World Cup hosting bids, now backs the Reboot FIFA campaign demanding structural reform.
Key Takeaways
- Whistleblower Bonita Mersiades says Infantino expanded FIFA committees from nine to 35 in 2024 to reward loyal officials.
- Infantino's published pay package totals $6 million, including a 33% bonus increase in 2025.
- Critics warn his Trumpification of FIFA prioritises profit and political alliances over real governance reform.
- Infantino intends to stand for re-election next year and remains widely expected to win.
- Mersiades fears meaningful change may not come in her lifetime, but urges campaigners to keep pressing.
How does Gianni Infantino keep his grip on FIFA?
After the 2015 corruption scandal, FIFA cut its standing committees from 26 to nine. Mersiades told The i Paper that Infantino reversed those reforms in 2024, expanding them to 35 and creating highly paid roles to fill.
She argues these appointments come with superannuation, handsome stipends, first-class travel, five-star hotels and guaranteed World Cup tickets. Recipients become grateful VVIPs, shoring up his re-election prospects.
Many middle managers join FIFA because they love football and its glamorous travel, Mersiades says. They treat it as a dream job they will not risk. That culture makes speaking up about misconduct very difficult.
How much does Gianni Infantino earn as FIFA president?
Infantino earned $6 million (£4.4 million) last year, according to FIFA's published accounts detailed by SPORTbible. His basic salary held steady at $3.3 million, while his annual bonus jumped 33% in 2025—up $695,000 to $2.78 million—after FIFA staged its first expanded men's Club World Cup in the United States.
In both 2023 and 2024, his bonus was roughly $2 million. It remains unclear whether he receives additional payments for maintaining homes in Switzerland and Florida, where FIFA has offices organising the North American World Cup.
FIFA says pay is set by an appointed compensation panel, part of transparency reforms passed the day Infantino was elected in 2016. For more on executive wealth in sport, see our Net Worth & Wealth coverage.
What is Infantino's legacy a decade into his presidency?
MoneyWeek reports that critics now describe Infantino's reign as the Trumpification of FIFA—a shift from reform promises toward profit-first commercialisation, political patronage and ties to autocratic leaders. His legacy is clouded by allegations of personal enrichment, a luxurious lifestyle and controversial partnerships.
Supporters credit him with improving financial transparency and increasing revenue distributed to member nations. Yet allegations of ticketing extortion and secret payments persist, and Mersiades dismisses reform claims as PR gloss. MoneyWeek notes he remains firmly in power with a projected term through 2031.
Can the Reboot FIFA campaign force real change?
Mersiades has backed the Reboot FIFA campaign as FIFA faces renewed scrutiny over governance and ticketing even during the current World Cup. She argues the organisation has failed to truly reform even after its huge scandal in 2015.
Mersiades admits she does not expect change this year, next year, or perhaps in her lifetime—she is only in her fifties. Nevertheless, she insists campaigners must persist. Things will never change if people do not chip away, she told The i Paper. Infantino intends to stand for re-election next year and is widely expected to win despite the organisation's issues.