UEFA and CONCACAF have jointly written to Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, demanding that the organization distribute a significant portion of its reserves to its member associations. The letter, seen by BBC Sport, was signed by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and his CONCACAF counterpart Victor Montagliani. It emphasizes that FIFA's current reserves stand at approximately $6bn, which is considerably more than is required through to the 2030 men's World Cup.
The proposal put forth by UEFA and CONCACAF suggests that FIFA should make at least $10m available to each of its 211 member associations over the 2027-30 cycle. This one-off release of reserves would amount to $2.11bn and would be in addition to the regular funding in the cycle. The funds are intended to be used for investment in infrastructure and football development. This move comes in response to FIFA president Gianni Infantino's aborted private equity proposal, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
Infantino's FFE proposal would have involved creating a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights for all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold to an investment company. However, the idea was scrapped after four days due to widespread opposition from national associations. When the plan was first revealed, Infantino told members they would receive $40m if they backed it. He set a deadline of 19 September for federations to accept his plans if they wanted to access an initial $20m.
The letter from UEFA and CONCACAF raises doubts about the necessity of the FFE proposal to deliver greater resources, based on an analysis of FIFA's published financial statements and budgets. The analysis was described as deliberately conservative, and a larger distribution from the reserves should be considered by the FIFA Council once the financial position at year-end is known. An independent review of FIFA's finances was also recommended, with full access to the underlying figures and assumptions.
The letter highlights that FIFA currently holds billions of dollars in accumulated reserves, which belong to football and exist to serve the game and its 211 member associations. UEFA and CONCACAF argue that prudence should not prevent a careful examination of whether a portion of these reserves could responsibly be released. Releasing part of these reserves would demonstrate that member associations should not have to choose between development and good governance.
Another letter, also seen by BBC Sport, has been sent to the presidents of the other confederations - Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania - asking them to support the motion. This development comes amid growing scrutiny of FIFA's financial dealings. The Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt recently sent a letter to Infantino and FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafström demanding that all documents relating to the FFE plan be released.
The controversy surrounding FIFA's financial dealings and governance is ongoing. Infantino, 56, will stand for election for a fourth time in March, with his opponents having until 18 November to find an alternative candidate. The issue has sparked debate about the distribution of funds within FIFA and the role of its member associations in decision-making processes.
Key points
- UEFA and CONCACAF demand FIFA distribute $10m to each of its 211 member associations.
- The proposal aims to utilize FIFA's reserves, which stand at approximately $6bn.
- The funds are intended for investment in infrastructure and football development.
