FIFA president Gianni Infantino has ordered a review of proposals to increase funding for national football associations after UEFA and CONCACAF called for at least $2.1 billion to be released from FIFA’s reserves payout demand.
The FIFA Council is expected to consider the proposals on October 15, although Infantino has made clear that no specific amount has been approved yet.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani have proposed that each of FIFA’s 211 member associations receive at least $10 million during the 2027-30 cycle. The payment would come on top of funding already committed under FIFA’s existing Forward programme.
The proposal would amount to roughly $2.1 billion in additional funding. In a letter to the presidents of FIFA’s six continental confederations, Infantino said the proposals would first undergo financial assessment before being considered by the FIFA Council.
“Until the assessment and necessary approvals are complete, no preliminary figure can be treated as an approved commitment to the Member Associations,” Infantino wrote in a letter accessed by Reuters.
Why UEFA and CONCACAF want FIFA to release its reserves
The push for additional funding follows the collapse of FIFA’s Forward Enterprise project, which had faced opposition from several confederations over concerns about consultation and governance.
UEFA and CONCACAF argued that FIFA could provide more money to its member associations from its existing reserves without proceeding with the proposed commercial investment plan.
Their September 18 proposal was based on an estimate that FIFA’s reserves could reach about $6 billion by the end of 2026. They said a $2.1 billion distribution would still leave FIFA with more than $1.5 billion in reserves during the following cycle.
The two confederations also called for an independent review of FIFA’s financial position. The proposed $10 million payment would be a one-off distribution for the 2027-30 cycle and would be intended for areas including infrastructure and football development.
Infantino backs more funding, but not a fixed amount
Infantino defended the reasoning behind the now-abandoned commercial plan, saying it had been intended to generate additional resources for football rather than replace money that FIFA could already distribute.
He said FIFA had been examining options for increasing development and solidarity funding even before receiving the confederations’ proposals.
However, he did not endorse the $10 million figure.
Infantino asked the confederations to provide their financial models, assumptions and supporting information so that FIFA’s administration and relevant committees could assess them.
The review will consider how much FIFA can distribute while maintaining sufficient reserves to meet its obligations and preserve its financial independence. It will also examine eligibility, reporting and auditing requirements. Infantino said he would support “the greatest level of additional funding that can responsibly be delivered” through FIFA’s governance process.
FIFA Council to assess proposals on October 15
The FIFA Council is due to examine the assessment on October 15.
If enough information is available, the council is expected to receive a recommendation on the amount and timing of any additional payments. If the assessment is not complete, the council will instead determine a timetable for finishing the work.
The dispute over FIFA’s finances comes amid wider tensions between Infantino and several football confederations following the collapse of the Forward Enterprise plan.
UEFA and other stakeholders have also called for changes to FIFA’s governance and decision-making structures.
For now, the proposed $2.1 billion payout remains a request, not an approved FIFA distribution. The next significant decision is expected at the October 15 council meeting.