Mark Bullingham was appointed chief executive of the Football Association in August 2019.
The Football Association has justified awarding chief executive Mark Bullingham £1.32 million last year—including a £450,000 bonus—emphasising that he had “met and surpassed rigorous targets”.
Bullingham is believed to be the highest-earning chief executive at any UK sports governing body.
The 50-year-old’s package for the year ending July 2024 comprised a salary of £869,000 alongside a long-term incentive plan (LTIP) bonus.
His total remuneration represents a rise of more than 55% compared to the prior year.
By comparison, in November it was revealed that Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney received £1.1 million, combining a £358,000 bonus with his £742,000 salary, despite the RFU reporting an operating loss approaching £40 million.
According to the FA’s annual accounts—released on Tuesday—the organisation achieved turnover of £551.2 million for the year, marking a £69.4 million increase on the previous 12 months, and posted a net profit of £49.7 million.
In a statement, an FA spokesperson noted that this level of turnover is “on par with a FTSE 250 company”, making a competitive remuneration package essential to “attract and retain top-tier executives”.
The spokesperson added: “Mark has successfully guided the organisation to achieve and surpass substantial performance benchmarks both on and off the field, fulfilling our 2020-2024 strategic aims.”
“To stay competitive, the inclusion of a bonus and a long-term incentive plan is key—though these payments are contingent on exceeding performance objectives.”
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