Both Uefa and Concacaf have asked Fifa to give each of its 211 member associations a payment of $10m (£7.5m), using money from Fifa’s rising cash reserves. At the same time, other confederations are being asked to take part, and there is a separate drive for papers linked to a scrapped private equity plan still going on — both moves test Fifa’s independence and its ties with its own members.
After the plan was withdrawn, the demand followed it. The scrapped proposal, known as Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), would have created a new company managing commercial and ticketing rights for all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to an investment company. It lasted just four days, undone by widespread opposition from national associations.
The Ceferin-Montagliani letter
The request came in a letter signed by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, seen by BBC Sport. It states Fifa is on course to close 2023-26 with reserves of approximately $6bn (£4.5bn), which is “considerably more than is required” through to the 2030 men’s World Cup.
The letter asks Fifa to put aside at least $10m for each of its 211 member associations, to be used for infrastructure and football development, as a one-time payment during the 2027-30 cycle. That single release would amount to $2.11bn (£1.57bn), placed on top of the usual funding in the cycle.
When the plan was revealed after the World Cup final, Infantino told members they would receive $40m (£30m) if they backed it. He set a deadline of 19 September for federations to accept his plans to access an initial $20m (£15m).
The two men said their examination of Fifa’s public financial records and budgets cast doubt on whether the FFE proposal was needed to bring in more money. They described the study as deliberately modest, and they urged the Fifa Council to look into giving out a bigger share from the reserves once the year-end financial standing is clear.
The letter calls for an independent examination of Fifa’s financial records, granting the reviewer unrestricted access to the actual numbers and the reasoning behind them.
Other letters in play
Debbie Hewitt, chair of the Football Association, sent a separate letter to Infantino and Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom demanding all documents relating to the FFE plan be released. Another letter seen by BBC Sport asks the presidents of the other confederations — Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania — to back the motion.
Fifa vice-president Hewitt has asked for a written explanation of why US forward Folarin Balogun’s suspended ban was cancelled at the World Cup. Infantino has been told to put all documents at hand before the next Fifa Council meeting on 15 October.
What happens next
In March, Infantino, 56, will run for his fourth term. Anyone hoping to put up another candidate against him has until 18 November to do so.
A clear warning accompanies the request. The Fifa Council convenes on 15 October. The joint strength of Uefa, Concacaf and the Football Association will probably not be overlooked.
The stakes
The reserves at Fifa are growing, and people are asking what they are meant to be used for. A letter from Ceferin and Montagliani makes the case that the funds are just sitting there, while national associations need them for:
- Building up their infrastructure
- Pushing forward development
The request also tests Fifa’s relationship with its own members.
Open consideration and a fair decision by the council remain the best course for moving ahead. The independent review process should be completed fully and transparently before the council makes its choice about distribution.
Source material: “Uefa & Concacaf demand Fifa pays $10m to all 211 members,” Yahoo Sports.
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