UEFA and Concacaf urge Infantino to release funds for all 211 member federations from FIFA reserves

UEFA and Concacaf presidents have formally asked Gianni Infantino to release part of FIFA's reserves to guarantee a minimum of $10 million for each of the 211 national federations over the next three years. The request, sent in a letter on Friday, claims the global governing body will close the year with around $6 billion in cash, a figure they believe is enough to increase direct support without tying it to the arrival of private capital.

• UEFA and Concacaf estimate FIFA will hold about $6 billion in reserves by the end of the year.
• They want at least $10 million distributed to each federation between 2027 and 2030.
• Even after those payments, more than $1.5 billion would remain in reserve.
• The funding would be additional to money already committed through the FIFA Forward programme.
• The move follows Infantino's withdrawal of his private investment plan on 1 August.

How much money UEFA and Concacaf want for all 211 federations

Aleksander Ceferin, head of UEFA, and Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, propose an additional payment of at least $10 million to every national association across the 2027-2030 cycle. In their letter they describe the figure as a conservative estimate of what FIFA could mobilise without weakening its financial stability.

According to their calculations, reserves would remain above $1.5 billion throughout the period once those funds have been paid. The two leaders argue that the FIFA Council could decide later whether a larger distribution is possible or whether a similar payment should follow in 2031-2034, once the organisation's year-end accounts are clearer.

The clash over Gianni Infantino's private investment plan

The request follows a summer of internal tension at FIFA. Infantino had promoted a project to bring private investment into a business entity managing competitions such as the men's and women's World Cups. His proposal included significantly higher funding for member associations if the plan was quickly accepted.

UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation rejected the initiative, leading the FIFA president to withdraw it on 1 August. Despite that retreat, UEFA still lacks confidence in Infantino's leadership and has started looking for an alternative candidate ahead of the next presidential election.

Releasing part of these reserves would demonstrate that MAs should not have to choose between development and good governance; between investment and integrity; or between financial support and the ability to consider proposals on their merits.

Why development should not depend on private backing

The two confederations insist that distributing reserves should not become a bargaining chip to speed up strategic decisions. In their letter they stress that football development is an institutional duty of FIFA, not a matter of personal discretion.

They propose that the two confederations complete a joint analysis of FIFA's financial position and agree on the amount that should be released directly to national associations. That recommendation would then be submitted through FIFA's standard governance channels, with the next meeting of the FIFA Council as the likely forum for discussion.

How the new money relates to the FIFA Forward programme

Both presidents make clear that the $10 million per federation would sit on top of the amounts FIFA has already committed through the FIFA Forward programme. That mechanism is the main source of development funding for national associations around the world.

The goal, according to Ceferin and Montagliani, is to ensure that no federation has to sacrifice investment in coaching, infrastructure or competitions because of short-term cash pressure. The proposal aims to strengthen the financial independence of national bodies without making it conditional on pending strategic decisions.

The legal and political battles unfolding at FIFA

The dispute goes beyond the distribution of funds. On 27 August, UEFA requested an independent review into how the private funding plan was developed. Football Association chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt had made a similar request to the FIFA Council shortly before.

UEFA has also turned to courts in the United States to obtain documents related to the project. FIFA is entitled to contest that legal action, which adds another layer of friction to a conflict already shaping the build-up to the next presidential race.

What is at stake at the next FIFA Council meeting

The FIFA Council meeting is emerging as the stage where the reserve distribution question could take a decisive turn. If the UEFA and Concacaf proposal moves forward, all 211 federations would receive a direct financial injection along these lines, with immediate effects on their development budgets.

Also at stake is Infantino's standing with the most influential confederations. UEFA has already signalled its intention to identify an alternative candidate for the presidential election, turning every major financial decision into a barometer of the power balance inside world football.