UEFA and CONCACAF call on FIFA to release $2.1bn for football development

UEFA and CONCACAF have urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to distribute about $2.1 billion from the organisation’s reserves among its 211 member associations.

A letter sent to Infantino on Friday by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani proposed a payment of $10 million to each member association during the 2027-2030 cycle.

The request is the latest development in the dispute within world football after Infantino explored the possibility of selling a stake in the World Cup to private investors.

That proposal was withdrawn following a strong backlash from across the sport. UEFA had threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions unless the plan was abandoned.

Infantino said the proposed investment was intended to raise capital for football around the world. However, the letter from Ceferin and Montagliani, obtained by AFP, argued that FIFA could provide additional funding from its existing resources without seeking outside investment.

FIFA’s cash reserves are estimated at around $6 billion.

“FIFA already has the capacity to deliver substantially more to its MAs from its own balance sheet – without any sale of interests in its competitions, and without asking anything of the MAs in return,” the letter said.

“Our analysis indicates that FIFA should make at least $10 million available to each of its 211 MAs over the 2027-30 cycle for investment in infrastructure and football development – an aggregate of approximately USD 2.1 billion,” it added.

The proposed payment would be a one-off release of funds and would come on top of the annual development support already provided to FIFA members.

Under Infantino, that existing funding has risen to $8 million per country over a four-year cycle.

UEFA and CONCACAF said they would present recommendations on how the money should be distributed at the next FIFA Council meeting.

The letter was sent one day after Debbie Hewitt, chair of England’s Football Association, wrote to Infantino seeking the full disclosure of information connected to the abandoned private equity proposal.

Hewitt has also asked FIFA to publish documents concerning the decision to suspend a ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.

The suspension followed a telephone conversation between Infantino and United States President Donald Trump.