Victor Montagliani, the president of Concacaf, has been revealed to receive an annual compensation package exceeding $3 million for what the organisation claims amounts to merely five hours of work per week. This disclosure, stemming from the latest tax filing submitted to the US Internal Revenue Service, has ignited significant debate regarding executive remuneration within non-profit sporting bodies.
Detailed Breakdown of Montagliani's Compensation
Publicly accessible filings, initially brought to light by ProPublica, detail that the Canadian official was paid a base compensation of $2.1 million for the 2024 tax year. This figure was supplemented by an additional $893,750 in unspecified bonus and incentive payments. A further $15,780 was allocated as deferred or retirement compensation, bringing his total yearly earnings from Concacaf to over $3 million.
Montagliani stands as the highest-paid official within Concacaf, according to the documentation. The general secretary, Phillipe Moggio, received a base salary of $1,569,600, with bonuses and other payments elevating his total annual income from the confederation to more than $2.4 million. Notably, the filing reports that Moggio works an average of 40 hours per week.
Legal Structure and Expert Scrutiny
Concacaf is registered under US tax law as a 501(c)(6) entity, classifying it as a non-profit trade organisation exempt from corporate taxation. This status places it in a category alongside groups like the American Medical Association. The organisation is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Richard Schmalbeck, a professor of law at Duke University specialising in taxation and non-profits, reviewed the findings and expressed scepticism about the accuracy of the reported working hours. "If it's really five hours then he is extremely well paid but I doubt it is the case," Schmalbeck remarked. "I think this is something they just routinely plug in. In my experience, it is not the practice of the accountants to ask these questions. They should ask them but they generally don't."
The tax return was prepared by the international consultancy firm BDO and formally signed by Concacaf's chief financial officer, Alejandro Lesende. When approached for comment by the Guardian, Concacaf declined to provide any statement.
Historical Context and Previous Evasion
This IRS filing contradicts previous statements made by Montagliani himself. In 2023, during a tense exchange with a Canadian MP at a parliamentary committee investigating Canada Soccer, he was directly questioned about his earnings from Concacaf and FIFA. Montagliani responded by claiming that "the organization that I am the president of has a policy with respect to not disclosing that number."
Montagliani was elected to lead Concacaf in 2016, following a period of severe corruption that had tarnished the reputation of the 41-member confederation, which includes football associations from the United States, Mexico, and Canada. His tenure has been credited with bringing stability to the organisation. He played a pivotal role in the successful joint bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, and oversaw the creation of the men's Nations League and the expansion of club competitions.
Global Comparison of Football Official Salaries
The filing reveals that Montagliani's compensation places him among the highest-paid football officials globally, outside of the club football sphere. For comparison, UEFA reported that its president, Aleksander Čeferin, was paid just over $4 million for the 2023/2024 financial year. The president of CONMEBOL, Alejandro Domínguez, is estimated to earn over $1 million annually.
Compensation details for the presidents of the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation are not publicly disclosed. In contrast, Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, is reported to decline any salary for his role.
All confederation presidents sit on the FIFA Council, for which they receive a net annual compensation of $300,000 plus expenses. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was reportedly paid over $6 million in 2024.
Wider Compensation Practices Within Concacaf
The 2025 tax filing also shed light on the pay for other Concacaf council members. US Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone was paid $150,000 per year for an average of five hours of work per week in her council role. Similarly, Canadian Nick Bontis, who was ousted as Canada Soccer president in 2023 shortly after his election to the Concacaf council, received $150,000 annually for the same reported five-hour weekly commitment.
Concacaf utilises a dedicated compensation committee to determine remuneration for its council members, including the president. However, the confederation declined to comment when asked about the membership of this committee.
Recent Commercial Developments and Saudi Links
Under Montagliani's leadership, Concacaf has pursued significant commercial partnerships. In 2024, the Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund, which owns Newcastle United, began funding Concacaf tournaments. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia's state oil company, Aramco, was announced as the "official energy partner" for all Concacaf national team and club competitions, with Air Riyadh named the confederation's official airline partner. The Saudi national team also participated in the 2025 Gold Cup.
These developments highlight the growing geopolitical and financial intersections within world football, as confederations seek new revenue streams while their internal compensation structures face increasing public and regulatory scrutiny.
