Whale Mural Lawsuit Casts Shadow Over Dallas World Cup Preparations
Dallas- Artist Wyland has filed a $25 million lawsuit against world football governing body FIFA and other defendants, alleging they unlawfully painted over his landmark whale mural in downtown Dallas to make way for World Cup-related artwork.
The mural, titled “Whaling Wall 82,” covered about 17,000 square feet and had been displayed on the building since 1999. Workers began painting over it last month, prompting public backlash and an online petition seeking protection for the artwork.
Filed in federal court in Dallas, the lawsuit claims the mural was destroyed without the artist’s consent or prior notice, violating the U.S. Visual Artists Rights Act, which protects works of recognized stature from destruction.
Wyland argues that organizers “irreversibly destroyed a civic landmark” to promote the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA denied involvement, with a spokesperson saying the organization had “no involvement in this whatsoever.”
Local World Cup organizers have said new artwork is planned to reflect the tournament’s significance, while preserving part of the original mural. Dallas is scheduled to host nine World Cup matches, the most of any host city in the United States.
