Gianni Infantino has opened the possibility of FIFA distributing additional funds to its 211 member associations, after calls from several confederation presidents for a greater share of the governing body’s financial reserves.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has signalled that additional financial support could be made available to member associations from the organisation’s substantial reserves.
In a letter sent to the presidents of FIFA’s six confederations and copied to members of the FIFA Council, Infantino said proposals for increased funding would be assessed before the council considers the issue at its meeting on October 15, 2026.
FIFA’s reserves are projected at around $6 billion.
Infantino has, however, stopped short of committing to a specific figure, stressing that any distribution would have to pass through FIFA’s governance procedures and be supported by financial evidence and transparent arrangements.“I will not prejudge the amount,” he said. “I will support the greatest level of additional funding that can responsibly be delivered through FIFA’s proper governance process, applied fairly and supported by transparent and auditable arrangements.”
The FIFA president has instructed secretary general Mattias Grafstrom to consolidate the proposals and supporting information ahead of the October meeting.
Pressure for Greater Distribution
The latest development follows calls from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani for FIFA to make greater use of its reserves to support football development around the world.
UEFA and CONCACAF have proposed that each of FIFA’s 211 member associations receive at least $10 million during the 2027-30 cycle.
Their proposal would amount to approximately $2.1 billion and would come from FIFA’s reserves.
They have also called for scrutiny of FIFA’s financial position and the assumptions behind the available funds.
Asian Football Confederation president Shaikh Salman has also submitted proposals, while FIFA vice-president Lambert Maltock has highlighted the structural costs faced by developing confederations.
The debate comes shortly after FIFA abandoned its FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan involved establishing a commercial company to manage rights connected to FIFA competitions, with an outside investor potentially acquiring a stake. The proposal was withdrawn following opposition from several football stakeholders.
Infantino addressed that issue in his letter, saying the commercial proposal had been intended to create additional investment capacity rather than replace funding that could responsibly be provided from FIFA’s existing resources.
The October FIFA Council meeting will therefore be significant as the organisation considers whether its financial strength can support a larger distribution to member associations.
Infantino’s involvement at FIFA began with his election as president on February 26, 2016, at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich.
He became the organisation’s ninth president, succeeding Sepp Blatter.He was re-elected by acclamation in 2019 and again in 2023, when FIFA confirmed that he would serve another four-year term through 2027.
During his tenure, FIFA has expanded its development funding through the FIFA Forward programme while also increasing revenues and undertaking governance reforms.
Now, as FIFA considers another potential distribution from its reserves, Infantino faces the task of balancing calls for greater immediate investment with the financial controls and governance procedures he says must underpin any decision.
Comments are moderated before appearing.