Chilean Club Accused of Paying Player Under the Table in Wage Scandal

Chilean football has been rocked by a serious allegation involving Deportes Antofagasta. The Chilean Professional Footballers’ Union (Sifup) has filed a formal complaint accusing the club of making under-the-table payments to striker Tobías Figueroa, one of its most recognizable players in recent years.

According to a report by La Tercera, the club owes Figueroa over eight million Chilean pesos in unpaid wages for January and February 2025. More alarmingly, Sifup claims that since 2019, the club has been paying the player more than his official salary, without reporting the additional payments to the league or tax authorities. While his contract stated a salary of US$16,666 plus housing allowance, banking records show deposits as high as US$17,118.

Sifup has formally requested that the ANFP (Chilean FA) withhold Antofagasta’s broadcast revenue and arrange direct payment to the player. The union alleges that when Figueroa returned to the club in 2025, president Jorge Sánchez attempted to reduce his salary to the contractual figure, despite the informal agreement on higher pay.

The consequences for Antofagasta could be severe. According to ANFP regulations, clubs failing to accurately report wages may lose three points in the current or future league campaigns. As of now, neither the club nor the player has publicly commented on the matter.