Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 24 JULY 2026

Three Point Shot

Proskauer Rose LLP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Contributor
Proskauer Rose LLP

Proskauer Rose LLP

Firm Overview Proskauer is an elite global law firm with more than 900 lawyers across key financial...

View firm profile
Explore more from Proskauer Rose LLP

When FIFA's 2026 World Cup came to Dallas, a nearly 30-year-old marine conservation mural was painted over without the artist's consent, sparking a federal lawsuit under the Visual Artists Rights Act.

United StatesIntellectual Property

A Whaling Wall Painted Blue: FIFA Faces Legal Challenge After It Covers a Dallas Mural

When soccer fans descended on the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they found a city buzzing with promotional activations, fan events and various public art installations. However, one existing public mural, a 17,000-square-foot mural of humpbacks and marine life that had adorned a downtown Dallas building for nearly three decades, had been covered over in blue paint. Now, the artist behind that mural is suing FIFA and others in what could prove to be a whale of a legal battle invoking a specialized, relatively obscure section of the Copyright Act dealing with artists’ moral rights. (Wyland v. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), No. 26-01794 (N.D. Tex. Filed June 1, 2026)).

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

See more popular content from