Infantino Signals Larger Payments for FIFA Member Associations

ZURICH — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has signalled that football’s governing body could provide more money to its member associations, saying he supports distributing the maximum level of additional funding that can be responsibly afforded.

Infantino outlined his position in a letter sent Monday to the presidents of FIFA’s six continental confederations, a copy of which was seen by BBC Sport.

“I will support the highest level of additional funding that can responsibly be provided,” Infantino wrote, according to the report.

FIFA has accumulated around £4.4 billion in cash reserves, and discussions are underway over how much of that money could be distributed among its members.

The issue follows calls from UEFA and CONCACAF for FIFA to allocate $10 million, or about £7.5 million, to each of its 211 member associations from those reserves.

The proposal is due to be discussed at a FIFA Council meeting on October 15.

Infantino said he did not want to set a specific figure in advance.

“A specific figure may serve as a starting point for discussions, but it cannot define a global policy,” he wrote.

Pressure over investment proposal

Infantino has recently faced pressure over a private investment proposal that would have involved selling a share of the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

The plan sparked strong opposition and was eventually withdrawn.

In his latest letter, Infantino again explained the rationale behind the proposal, saying its purpose had been to create greater opportunities for investment in football.

“The recently presented commercial proposal, which was subsequently withdrawn, was intended to enable FIFA to invest even more in football,” he wrote.

The proposed distribution of FIFA reserves comes as member associations seek greater financial support from the governing body, while FIFA considers how much funding can be released without compromising its longer-term financial position.