UEFA and Concacaf Demand FIFA Pay $10m to All 211 Member Associations

UEFA and Concacaf have formally asked FIFA to release at least $10 million from its cash reserves to each of the 211 member associations. The written request, sent to president Gianni Infantino, marks the latest escalation in the dispute between the governing bodies following the collapsed private equity plan for the sport's commercial rights.

• UEFA and Concacaf want FIFA to make a one-off payment of $10 million per federation for the 2027-2030 cycle.
• The move would cost $2.11 billion and draw on reserves estimated at around $6 billion by the end of 2026.
• The funds would be earmarked for infrastructure investment and football development, on top of regular funding.
• The letter comes a day after England's FA chair demanded the release of all documents linked to the failed Fifa Forward Enterprise plan.
• Infantino will stand for a fourth term as FIFA president in March.

What UEFA and Concacaf Are Demanding From FIFA

The letter, signed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf counterpart Victor Montagliani, states that FIFA is on track to close the 2023-2026 cycle with reserves of approximately $6 billion. In their view, that amount is considerably higher than what the organisation requires through to the 2030 men's World Cup.

Both confederations are therefore proposing an extraordinary release of funds: at least $10 million for every national association during the 2027-2030 period. The total outlay would reach roughly $2.11 billion and would come in addition to the regular funding already planned for that cycle. The stated goal is for the money to be invested in infrastructure and football development across all member countries.

The Origin of the Dispute: The Failed Fifa Forward Enterprise Plan

The financial demand is a direct response to an initiative from Infantino that never got off the ground. The Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) project would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all FIFA competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold to an investment firm.

The proposal was scrapped just four days after being made public, facing widespread opposition from national associations. The episode has deepened mistrust of the FIFA president's management and triggered this latest exchange of letters between the confederations and the governing body.

English FA Demands Transparency Over FFE Documents

The UEFA and Concacaf letter emerged a day after Debbie Hewitt, chair of the Football Association and a FIFA vice-president, sent her own correspondence to Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom. She is demanding that all documents related to the controversial FFE plan be made public.

Hewitt also wants the FIFA Council to receive a written explanation for the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup. The FA chair has asked for all documentation to be made available before the next Council meeting on 15 October.

Infantino's Election Timetable at FIFA

Gianni Infantino, 56, was first elected FIFA president in 2016 and is now preparing to stand for a fourth term. The election is scheduled for March, with any potential rivals given until 18 November to put forward an alternative candidacy.

The standoff with UEFA and Concacaf is therefore unfolding on the eve of an election campaign. The organisation's financial management and the transparency around the failed private equity project are emerging as two of the key battlegrounds in the months ahead.

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