Politics · India Bureau
FIFA rivals push $10 million federation grants ahead of election showdown
European and North American football leaders are calling on FIFA to distribute $10 million to each member federation from its projected $6 billion post-World Cup reserves. The move comes as they intensify efforts to challenge incumbent president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid.
LSN India ·
FIFA's vice presidents from UEFA and CONCACAF have jointly urged the organisation to make a one-off payment to its 211 member federations in a letter to President Gianni Infantino. The proposal would see each national body receive $10 million, totalling approximately $2.1 billion from FIFA's anticipated cash reserves following the recent World Cup.
Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, and Victor Montagliani, CONCACAF leader, argue that FIFA's financial position is sufficiently robust to absorb such expenditure without compromising the organisation's stability. The initiative targets national federations, which collectively hold voting power in FIFA's presidential elections scheduled for March.
The push represents an intensification of efforts by European and North American football bodies to challenge Infantino's leadership. Earlier this year, both confederations spearheaded international opposition to Infantino's proposal to monetise World Cup rights through private investment, a plan that drew fierce criticism from football governing bodies worldwide.
The proposal reflects broader tensions within FIFA's governance structure, with major confederations seeking greater influence over the organisation's financial decisions and strategic direction. The March presidential election is expected to become a focal point for these competing interests, with Infantino's opponents using the federation grants as both a policy platform and a mechanism to strengthen their support among member nations.