Infantino says has not been told salary

ZURICH — New FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on his first full working day 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, to 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. Speaking after an informal match with FIFA employees and guests, Infantino said he had still not discussed his salary following his election Friday. "I have no idea yet," he told reporters. "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." The salary of Infantino's predecessor Sepp Blatter, suspended from soccer for six years, has never been made public. But reforms agreed by FIFA last week to overcome the corruption scandal included provision for salaries to be open to scrutiny. He said 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. "Definitely I think we need to launch the bidding process in the next couple of months, probably before the next Congress in May," Infantino said. "Concerning Qatar and Russia, the decisions were taken in 2010 by the executive committee, but since 2010 there has been speculation and allegations and noise." "It's now necessary to organize the best World Cup in history in Russia in 2018 and in 2022 in Qatar." FIFA has been forced to investigate the decision to grant the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 Finals to Qatar and an investigation is also under way by the Swiss attorney general's office. His working day began with his former staff at European soccer body, UEFA, where Infantino was the CEO-like general secretary since 2009. He gave a farewell speech in the UEFA auditorium about three hours' drive away at Nyon, Switzerland. Infantino was due to address hundreds of FIFA staff in the afternoon, many apparently demoralized by fallout from the scandal-tainted Blatter presidential era. UEFA chief UEFA will name a new temporary general secretary Friday to take over from former European football No. 2 Infantino, a source told AFP Monday. Greece's Theodore Theodoridis would appear to be favorite for the job Infantino quit to take up his new role with FIFA. UEFA's executive committee will meet Friday morning in Nyon to decide on the matter. The role is an important one as UEFA president Michel Platini is banned from all football activities for six years, although he is engaged in legal proceedings to have that ban overturned. To this end, Platini is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Should Platini have his ban overturned it will be then up to him to keep the new No. 2 or not. If Platini's case is unsuccessful, it will be up to the new president of UEFA to decide. — Agencies