An artist has filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against FIFA over his whale-filled mural in Dallas being painted over ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Robert Wyland filed the lawsuit in Texas, naming as defendants the international soccer association, the nonprofit organizing the U.S. portion of the World Cup matches, and the companies that own and operate the building where the mural was displayed.
The eight-story-tall mural “Ocean Life” was officially dedicated in 1999, according to the Wyland Foundation website. It is the 82nd mural in a series of 100 “whaling walls.”
Mr. Wyland’s lawyers argued in the lawsuit that the defendants “hastily and irrevocably destroyed a civic landmark” and “defaced an historic fixture of the host city.”
Most of the mural was painted over in blue by May 18, according to the lawsuit. Work has since ceased on a replacement mural due to a cease-and-desist letter sent days after most of the art was painted over, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee said previously that a new mural was going up in place of “Ocean Life” that would “celebrate and build excitement for the upcoming World Cup 2026,” according to KXAS-TV.
FIFA told ESPN that it “has no involvement in this whatsoever and refers all inquiries on this matter to the [North Texas organizing committee].”
Mr. Wyland and his lawyers disagree. The lawsuit cites a quote by FIFA Chief Event Operations Officer Heimo Schirgi, who said in a March release from FIFA that “this is the first FIFA World Cup that is fully under FIFA’s control.”
The plaintiff argues that FIFA “held out its agents — including FIFA Americas, FIFA US, and the Committee — as acting on its behalf and under its control” and that third parties, including the owners and managers of the building where the mural was located, “reasonably relied on these representations of authority in their dealings” with FIFA.
Slate Asset Management, which manages the building where the mural was located, told ARTnews magazine that “Slate was approached … in March 2026 with a request to donate the wall … for a new public art installation to be completed by a local Dallas artist. Slate … was told by the local groups that Mr. Wyland had been notified.”
Mr. Wyland told KDFW-TV that any claim that he or his foundation were made aware ahead of time that “Ocean Life” would be painted over is “a lie with a capital L.”
The plaintiff also argued that, since “Ocean Life” was a singular piece and since he is its sole creator, the painting-over of the mural without notifying him violates the Visual Artist Rights Act. He is seeking at least $25 million in damages and a jury trial.
The FIFA 2026 World Cup is scheduled to run from June 11 through July 19, with matches to be hosted in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
