A reported plan to dramatically increase FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s salary has triggered fresh debate over transparency and governance in world football.According to an investigative report by British newspaper The Times, Infantino could have earned around €30 million a year under a proposed restructuring plan if World Cup commercial operations were transferred to a new private entity. The package would reportedly have included additional performance-based bonuses.Infantino currently receives an annual salary of around €3 million, meaning the proposed arrangement could have increased his earnings by nearly ten times.The report said FIFA had planned to establish a new commercial partner named FIFA Forward Enterprises, which would oversee major revenue-generating areas, including World Cup broadcasting rights, sponsorships, ticket sales, licensing and tournament operations.Under the proposal, 20 percent ownership of the new entity would have been offered to private investors, with FIFA expecting to raise around €3.65 billion in new investment. While FIFA presented the plan as an initiative to strengthen football’s financial future, leaked documents reportedly showed significant executive roles and large compensation packages for top officials.The initial draft structure reportedly included influential football figures such as Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Asian Football Confederation president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.The proposal faced opposition from several member associations, which argued that global football resources could become concentrated in the hands of a few individuals and that major decisions might be influenced by investors’ financial interests.UEFA emerged as one of the strongest critics of the plan. Under President Aleksander Čeferin, European football’s governing body reportedly questioned the transparency of the initiative and warned of withdrawing support for Infantino’s leadership and potentially boycotting FIFA competitions.The reports surrounding Infantino’s possible salary increase have renewed calls for greater accountability within FIFA. Several influential football officials have demanded independent audits and stricter oversight.Analysts say the controversy could become a turning point for global football governance, deepening tensions between European and other football authorities and making future commercial reforms more challenging.Source: The Times / Mirror