Infantino signals support for extra FIFA funding as members seek reserve payout

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has indicated that he would support distributing more money to member associations from the governing body's reserves, without committing to a specific sum. BBC Sport reported that he set out his position in a letter sent on Monday to FIFA's six continental confederations, amid pressure over a withdrawn plan involving private investment in its competitions.

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The letter follows a demand from UEFA and Concacaf for FIFA to pay $10 million, approximately £7.5 million, to each of its 211 members. UEFA represents European football, while Concacaf covers North America, Central America and the Caribbean. According to the BBC's report, FIFA holds estimated cash reserves of £4.4 billion, and the proposed payments would be drawn from those funds.

The FIFA Council is due to consider the proposal at its meeting on 15 October. Infantino told the confederations that he favoured providing as much additional funding as could responsibly be made available, but declined to settle on an amount in advance. His letter argued that a single proposed figure could open a discussion but was insufficient on its own to determine a worldwide policy. The report did not describe an approved payout.

The funding debate follows the collapse of FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE. That proposal envisaged selling stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors and prompted a major backlash. BBC Sport reported that the initiative had brought calls for Infantino to resign. In his latest letter, he again defended its purpose, saying the commercial proposal had been intended to allow FIFA to put more money into football.

Scrutiny of the abandoned initiative also includes demands for documentation and an external examination. Earlier this month, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, called on Infantino to release all documents relating to FFE. She also requested an independent review of the plan, according to BBC Sport.

The dispute comes ahead of another presidential election. Infantino is set to stand for a fourth time in March 2027, with opponents facing an 18 November deadline to identify an alternative candidate. Before that, the October Council meeting will consider the request for payments from reserves; Infantino's letter leaves the amount unresolved.