British newspaper The Times has publicly apologized to FIFA president Gianni Infantino after retracting several allegations published in an article on October 13. On Tuesday, October 20, the newspaper corrected claims that the Swiss executive received a second, undeclared salary from football’s world governing body and questioned the circumstances surrounding an alleged property purchase in Miami. The Times acknowledged its errors and issued an apology to Infantino and FIFA.
Regarding the alleged second salary, the newspaper admitted that Infantino never received such remuneration. It clarified that the expenses and reimbursements paid to the FIFA president do not constitute a salary under Swiss law and therefore do not require disclosure in FIFA’s annual report.
The Times also corrected its claims about a Miami property, acknowledging that neither Infantino nor his family owns or controls the company Shadi LLC, contrary to its earlier reporting. “We apologize to Mr. Infantino and to FIFA for these errors,” the newspaper stated.
FIFA welcomed the corrections but used the episode to renew its criticism of what it described as persistent efforts to damage the organisation’s reputation and that of its president. The governing body urged media outlets to verify their information carefully, while stressing that it accepts legitimate criticism based on established facts. FIFA also warned that it would continue to challenge publications containing allegations it considers false or defamatory. The apology comes as Infantino prepares for another potential bid for the FIFA presidency, placing renewed attention on the scrutiny surrounding his leadership.
