UEFA and CONCACAF challenge FIFA on reserves after aborted stake sale plan

UEFA and CONCACAF, two of FIFA's confederations, have written to FIFA president Gianni Infantino urging the release of $10 million to each of FIFA's 211 member associations for the 2027-30 cycle. The letter, addressed to Infantino and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, claims FIFA is in a strong financial position to make this one-off distribution.

The proposed payment would cost FIFA around $2.11 billion and would be in addition to the organization's regular funding for the 2027-30 cycle. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani believe FIFA's accumulated reserves of approximately $6 billion, which they expect to close the 2023-26 cycle with, are "considerably more than is required" through to the 2030 World Cup.

They argue that development funding should be an institutional responsibility of FIFA, not a matter of individual discretion, and call for an independent review of FIFA's finances with full access to underlying figures and assumptions.