In a letter to all continental confederations, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced his intention to distribute more funds to member associations. However, the Swiss official remained tight-lipped about the exact amount.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reaffirmed his commitment to reforms within the world governing body. In a letter to all six presidents of the continental associations, a copy of which is in the possession of The Athletic, Infantino announced his intention to distribute further funds to member associations from FIFA’s reserves.
Infantino was responding to calls to this effect from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, Victor Montagliani (CONCACAF) and Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The requests are to be considered at the FIFA Council meeting on 15 October.
No “specific amount”
Ceferin and Montagliani had recently put pressure on FIFA, demanding a payout of billions to the 211 member associations. These payments would amount to 1.83 billion euros. A “one-off payout” would be manageable for FIFA, according to UEFA. According to consistent media reports, the world governing body’s reserves are said to amount to around six billion US dollars (5.23 billion euros).
However, Infantino did not wish to commit to a “specific amount”, he wrote in a letter. “I will support the highest possible level of additional funding that can be responsibly implemented within the framework of FIFA’s proper governance processes – applied fairly and based on transparent and verifiable regulations,” he went on to explain.
Last Monday, the Swiss national had already written to the 211 member associations, signalling his willingness to implement reforms. Infantino is seeking a further term of office in the March 2027 election. Among others, UEFA in particular is calling for Infantino to step down.
It is considered likely that UEFA will field a rival candidate. It is not yet clear who this will be; nevertheless, there are indications that Montagliani could stand for election. The deadline for nominating a candidate is 18 November.
