Infantino backs more FIFA funding as members seek reserve payments

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has indicated that more money could be released to member associations from the governing body’s estimated £4.4 billion cash reserves, BBC Sport reported on Monday. His intervention follows demands for a substantial distribution of those funds, but does not commit FIFA to a particular payment or confirm that a distribution has been approved.

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In a letter sent to the six continental confederations and seen by the BBC, Infantino supported providing as much extra funding as could responsibly be delivered. He declined to settle on an amount in advance, arguing that discussion of a single figure was not enough to establish a policy applying across world football.

UEFA and Concacaf have called for each of FIFA’s 211 members to receive $10 million, approximately £7.5 million, from the reserves. The FIFA Council is due to consider that proposal on 15 October. Infantino also defended the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise project, saying its purpose had been to increase investment in football.

The commercial project provides the background to the dispute. In its reporting on 21 September, BBC Sport explained that it would have created a company to handle commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. A private investment company would have acquired a 21% stake. The proposal was abandoned following a backlash.

That earlier BBC report also detailed Infantino’s proposal for an external examination of FIFA’s operations. In a letter to Council members and national associations, he suggested an independent process to identify possible improvements, alongside consultation on decision-making and the president’s role. The consultation would involve confederations, member associations and other relevant stakeholders.

Infantino said the commercial proposal had become public before FIFA completed its institutional process and before the plan could be fully presented to the Council and members. He maintained that decisions had not already been taken. The funding and governance discussions come ahead of his fourth election bid in March 2027, with opponents facing an 18 November deadline to put forward an alternative candidate.