Zurich – The new FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said on Monday on his first full working day, that he still did not know what he would be paid as head of soccer’s global governing body.
The Swiss said he expected the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup, delayed last year by a scandal which has engulfed FIFA, should begin in the next couple of months.
The 2018 and 2022 tournaments, to be staged in Russia and Qatar, had to be the best in history, he added.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
Speaking after an informal match with FIFA employees and guests, Infantino said he had still not discussed his salary following his election on Friday.
“I have no idea yet, I know you can’t believe it but it’s not for the money that I was candidate to become FIFA president.
“I have not discussed with anyone about my pay or what my pay will be. We will see,’’ he said.
The salary of Infantino’s predecessor of Sepp Blatter, suspended from soccer for six years, has never been made public.
However, reforms agreed by FIFA last week to overcome the corruption scandal included provision for salaries to be open to scrutiny.
Infrantino said that bidding for the 2026 World Cup hosting, which was supposed to have started in 2015 with a decision due in Kuala Lumpur next year, should begin before the Mexico City congress in May.