UEFA, Concacaf Demand Release Of $10m Each Member

UEFA and Concacaf have called on FIFA to release at least $10 million to each of its 211 member associations from the governing body’s reserves, arguing that the funds should be invested in football development and infrastructure.

The demand was contained in a letter signed by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani and addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

According to the letter, FIFA is expected to end the 2023–26 financial cycle with reserves of about $6 billion, which the two confederations said is considerably more than required to cover FIFA’s needs through the 2030 World Cup.

The proposed distribution would cost FIFA about $2.11 billion and would be separate from the organisation’s regular development funding for the 2027–30 cycle.

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The move follows the collapse of FIFA’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involves creating a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.

Under the proposal, 21% of the new company would have been sold to an investment company. The plan was withdrawn after facing widespread opposition from national football associations.

Infantino had previously told FIFA members they could receive $40 million each if they supported the proposal, while federations meeting a September 19 deadline were offered access to an initial $20 million.

However, UEFA and Concacaf said their analysis of FIFA’s published financial statements and budgets raised questions about whether the FFE proposal was necessary to generate additional resources for football development.

The two confederations also called for an independent review of FIFA’s finances, including access to the underlying financial figures and assumptions used in its projections.

They argued that FIFA’s accumulated reserves belong to football and should be considered for responsible distribution where they exceed the organisation’s foreseeable financial requirements.

The latest development comes a day after Football Association Chair Debbie Hewitt wrote to Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström demanding the release of documents connected to the FFE proposal.

Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, also requested a written explanation from the FIFA Council concerning the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.

FIFA’s next Council meeting is scheduled for 15 October, while Infantino is expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president at the election scheduled for March.

The latest dispute highlights growing disagreements within international football over FIFA’s financial reserves, development funding and the proposed changes to the management of its commercial rights.