Artist sues FIFA for $25 million after Dallas whale mural painted over for World Cup

2 Jun 2026 • 10:48 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Artist sues FIFA for $25 million after Dallas whale mural painted over for World Cup

  • Marine artist Robert Wyland is suing FIFA for $25 million after his whale mural in downtown Dallas was painted over to make space for a World Cup advertisement.
  • The mural, titled “Ocean Life” or Whaling Wall 82, had been a 17,000-square-foot public art fixture on the Texas Utilities Building since 1999.
  • Wyland alleges that the artwork was destroyed without his knowledge or consent, violating the federal Visual Artists Rights Act.
  • The lawsuit names FIFA, FIFA (Americas), Inc., FWC2026 US, Inc., 3PZ Property Company, LLC, and Slate Asset Management as defendants.
  • A spokesperson for Slate Asset Management claimed they were informed by local groups that Wyland had been notified about the wall's use.

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