An artist has filed a $25 million lawsuit against soccer’s international governing body and others after they painted over his mural in Dallas. The mural, featuring life-sized whales, once covered 17,000 square feet on a downtown building. Wyland, the artist, claims the action was taken without his consent to promote upcoming World Cup matches.

The mural, a significant piece promoting ocean conservation, stood for nearly 30 years before being painted over. The World Cup organizers plan to replace it with new artwork that reflects the spirit of the 2026 event. They intend to preserve a portion of Wyland’s work.

Wyland’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Dallas, highlights potential violations of a 1990 federal law created to protect visual artists. It alleges that FIFA and other parties unlawfully removed a civic landmark without notifying him.

A FIFA spokesperson disclaimed involvement, redirecting inquiries to the local organizing committee. The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee, although not named in the lawsuit, opted not to comment. Slate Asset Management, the building managers, indicated they were asked to donate wall space for a new mural and believed that Wyland was notified.

Wyland painted “Whaling Wall 82” in 1999 as part of a global series to promote ocean life conservation. An online petition with over 2,600 signatures opposes the mural’s removal and advocates for protecting public artworks in Dallas.

The Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which Wyland cites in his suit, protects artworks of recognized stature. This law previously required a property owner in Queens to pay $6.7 million to graffiti artists for covering their works.