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News

Artist Robert Wyland sues FIFA for $25 million over Dallas whale mural

The lawsuit claims the covering of the nearly 30-year-old "Ocean Life" mural violated a federal law protecting artists' rights

2 min read·Updated June 2, 2026
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Environmental artist Robert Wyland filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against FIFA and two property companies Monday, alleging that the painting over of his whale mural in downtown Dallas earlier this month violated the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, names FIFA, FIFA (Americas), Inc., FWC2026 US, Inc., 3PZ Property Company, and Slate Asset Management as defendants, according to CBS News. Central to the lawsuit is Wyland's claim that the defendants acted without his knowledge or written permission, in breach of a federal statute that prohibits artists' works from being altered, defaced, or destroyed without their consent.

The mural, titled "Ocean Life" and also known as Whaling Wall 82, covered two sides of the Texas Utilities Building at 505 N. Akard St. Completed in 1999, it stretched 164 feet wide and 82 feet tall on its largest face and depicted humpback whales, dolphins, and other marine life, according to CBS News. Spanning the globe, the mural belonged to a body of work Wyland calls the Whaling Walls — over 100 oversized public paintings he has executed in cities worldwide as a platform for ocean conservation advocacy.

Earlier in May, workers applied blue paint over the mural's primary face, clearing space for a World Cup-themed installation; the Dallas area is set to host nine tournament matches at AT&T $T Stadium in suburban Arlington, Texas, according to ABC News. The North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee said it wanted the replacement piece to reflect "the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup."

A spokesperson for the building's owners told CBS News that Wyland had been informed about the project in March. Wyland disputes that claim, saying he received no notice before the work began.

"A landmark was painted over," Wyland said, according to CBS News. Wyland pledged that any money obtained through the litigation would be channeled into public art initiatives, ocean and waterway conservation, and environmental education programs run by the Wyland Foundation.

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