Gianni Infantino Faces IRS Complaint Over Housekeeper and FIFA’s Tax Status

• A complaint filed with the US Internal Revenue Service calls for an investigation into claims that an individual on the FIFA payroll worked privately as a housekeeper for Gianni Infantino, per The Guardian.
• If the IRS investigates and finds the claims proven, FIFA could lose its tax-exempt status in the United States.
• FIFA says the costs of any domestic staff are met by Infantino personally.

What the Complaint Alleges, How FIFA Answers and Why Washington Is Watching

Someone has taken a question about Gianni Infantino’s home life to the US tax authorities. A complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service asks for an investigation into claims that an individual on the FIFA payroll was working privately as a housekeeper for the FIFA president. The claims are unproven, and FIFA says Infantino pays for any domestic staff personally. The stakes for football’s governing body are still large. If the IRS investigates and finds the claims proven, FIFA could lose its tax-exempt status in the US. FIFA holds 501(c)(4) status there, a category for organisations “created to promote community welfare for charitable, educational or recreational purposes”.

What the Complaint Says

The complaint is supported by a number of documents. It claims an individual “performed domestic work exclusively for Fifa president Gianni Infantino and his wife, Leena Infantino, at their Miami residence, while receiving compensation or benefits through a Fifa-affiliated entity”. It argues that “senior leadership, acting in their official capacity and on behalf of Fifa, have abused the entity’s tax-exemption status”.

The filing then spells out what it wants the authorities to look at. The complaint goes on to argue: “If organisational funds or resources were used to pay for services benefiting a leader’s household, the arrangement raises serious questions about private benefit, financial reporting, compensation, and governance. The materials also raise questions about the accuracy of representations in employment, payroll, tax, and immigration records. We ask the agencies to investigate the underlying records and determine what occurred.”

The IRS has been approached for comment.

FIFA’s Answer

A FIFA spokesperson said: “Matters related to the Fifa president’s personal and home life are private; however, for the avoidance of any doubt, the costs of any domestic staff are met by the Fifa president personally.”

FIFA went further and aimed a warning at the media. The spokesperson said: “We urge the media to act responsibly. As Fifa stated in August, it is evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine Fifa and its president. Fifa welcomes legitimate scrutiny. But scrutiny is not a licence to amplify false allegations. Where reporting is inaccurate or misleading Fifa will continue to challenge it directly and vigorously.”

Why the Timing Is Awkward for Infantino

The complaint lands as FIFA’s activities face tougher questions in the US. Democratic politicians are set to scrutinise FIFA more closely after the “blue wave” at the midterm elections, with Infantino’s part in the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme and his relationship with the Trump White House both in view. A spokesperson for Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House judiciary committee, said the committee had not requested documents related to the housekeeper but was “looking closely at those developments”.

Infantino was already under pressure in the football world. It built through the summer, including an emergency FIFA meeting over an abandoned World Cup investment plan.

September brought four leagues accusing Infantino of betraying FIFA ahead of the 2027 vote.

Last month the England FA chair added her voice. Debbie Hewitt’s call for answers followed an apology to the FIFA Council.

His predecessor has joined the criticism. Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s president for 17 years before resigning amid a corruption scandal at the organisation, described Infantino to the German magazine Der Spiegel as a “dictator” who “no longer knows any borders”. Blatter criticised the FFE scheme, the FIFA peace prize and, most significantly in his opinion, the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s suspension for a red card at the World Cup.

“Fifa is suffering,” Blatter said. “It is currently led by a person who has allowed himself to be blinded.” He described the peace prize as “embarrassing”, saying: “Why would he do something like that? Infantino awards a peace prize to someone who wages war against Iran shortly afterwards?”

On the FFE scheme, which was abandoned after an international outcry, Blatter said: “Infantino no longer knows any borders. He doesn’t understand any of this.” He called the Balogun controversy “the worst”, saying: “Statutes can be interpreted. But rules of the game must apply to everyone, you can’t interpret them.”

What Happens Next

A complaint of this kind, if taken up, would probably take months to complete, and the results of IRS investigations are commonly not published. Any action the IRS takes would be in the public domain.

The complaint was submitted by the Washington DC lawyer Abed Ayoub, who works in immigration law and has served as the national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). Last year the ADC was part of the campaign Game Over Israel, which called for Israeli football teams to be banned from international competition.

For now the claims stay unproven, and FIFA’s position is on the record: the president pays for his own domestic staff.