Key facts
- Artist Wyland filed a $25 million lawsuit against FIFA and others.
- The lawsuit alleges Wyland's 17,000-square-foot whale mural in Dallas was painted over without consent.
- The mural was painted over to promote the upcoming World Cup 2026 matches.
- The suit claims violations of the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.
- A portion of Wyland's mural is planned to be preserved.
Artist Wyland has filed a $25 million lawsuit against FIFA, the building's owner and management company, alleging they illegally painted over his 17,000-square-foot mural of life-sized whales in Dallas. The mural, titled 'Whaling Wall 82' and completed in 1999, had stood for nearly three decades before being covered last month. Wyland claims the action was taken without his consent or notification to promote the city's upcoming World Cup 2026 matches and violated the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which protects publicly displayed works of recognized stature. The World Cup organizing committee stated that new artwork reflecting the event's spirit is planned, with a portion of Wyland's mural to be preserved. FIFA has stated it has no involvement and referred inquiries to the local organizing committee, which declined to comment. Slate Asset Management stated they were asked by local groups to donate the space and were told Wyland had been notified.