UEFA and Concacaf have formally requested that FIFA distribute a minimum of $10 million to each of its 211 member associations, intensifying a public dispute with the world governing body’s leadership. The letter, signed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf counterpart Victor Montagliani, was addressed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The directive calls for the funds to be drawn from FIFA’s cash reserves during the 2027-30 cycle, a period that spans toward the 2030 men’s World Cup. According to the correspondence, FIFA is projected to conclude its current 2023-26 term with approximately $6 billion in reserves, a figure the signatories describe as significantly exceeding what is necessary to fund competitions through 2030.
The proposed one-off distribution would cost roughly $2.11 billion and is intended to support infrastructure projects and football development initiatives. This demand comes in addition to the standard funding allocations already planned for the quadrennial cycle.
The escalation follows the abrupt cancellation of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative just four days after it was introduced. FFE would have established a new entity to manage commercial and ticketing rights across all tournaments, including the World Cup, with a 21% stake offered to private investors. The plan faced immediate and widespread opposition from national associations before being scrapped.
Compounding the pressure on Infantino, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt sent a separate letter on the preceding day demanding the full disclosure of documents related to the aborted FFE plan. Hewitt, who also serves as a FIFA vice-president, requested that the Fifa Council provide a written explanation regarding the overturned suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun at the recent World Cup.
Infantino was instructed to make all relevant documents available prior to the next Fifa Council meeting scheduled for 15 October. The current president, 56, is set to run for a fourth term in March, with potential challengers having until 18 November to declare their candidacies.
Finally, someone holding the big boys accountable. Those reserves should benefit the game globally, not just fund mega-events.
Does FIFA really have $6 billion sitting idle? If so, why were smaller nations struggling with basic infrastructure costs?
The FFE cancellation was messy. Transparency on what happened there would do wonders for rebuilding trust in the governance.
I wonder if this is genuine development aid or just political maneuvering ahead of Infantino’s re-election next March?
$10 million sounds like a lot, but for 211 members, that’s barely a drop in the ocean compared to FIFA’s reserves.