FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pledged to support a fairer distribution of the organisation’s resources among its 211 member associations, while declining to commit to a specific amount.
In a letter to the presidents of FIFA’s six confederations, copied to FIFA Council members, Infantino said a proposal for additional funding would be considered at the Council’s next meeting on 15 October.
$10 million proposal for each association
The letter follows a request made 10 days earlier by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani for at least $10 million to be allocated to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
They proposed drawing the money from FIFA reserves, which they estimate at around $6 billion.
Infantino asked them to submit the relevant financial models, assumptions and supporting information to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström so they could be verified by the appropriate FIFA committees in accordance with the organisation’s statutes and regulations.
Infantino declines to commit to amount
Infantino said he would not “prejudge the amount” that could eventually be redistributed.
“Until the necessary assessments and approvals are completed, no preliminary amount can be considered an approved commitment to the member associations,” he said.
Infantino said he would support “the highest level of additional funding” that could be provided responsibly through FIFA’s governance procedures, implemented fairly and supported by transparent mechanisms.
“Ambition is welcome. The financial data, governance and implementation must now support it,” he said.
“One individual can start the discussion, but cannot be enough to define a comprehensive policy.”
FIFA Council to meet in October
The 15 October FIFA Council meeting will be the first since an unsuccessful attempt to open the World Cup to private investors, a project led by Infantino that was subsequently withdrawn.
“The recent commercial proposal, which was withdrawn, aimed to enable FIFA to invest more in football and not to replace support that could responsibly be provided from existing resources,” Infantino said.
The initiative prompted significant criticism within football and weakened Infantino’s administration, with several calls for his resignation.
Last week, Infantino proposed consulting FIFA’s member associations on reforms to the organisation’s operations in a letter addressed to all 211 associations. He pledged to consider the proposals at the October Council meeting.
Infantino currently sole candidate for re-election
Infantino remains the only candidate so far for re-election as FIFA president, with the election scheduled for March 2027.
The deadline for other candidates to submit their applications is 18 November.
Source: SDNA
