Infantino makes bigger cash pledge to Fifa members

What the report says

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has signalled that a larger payment could be made from the organisation’s cash reserves to its member associations, according to a letter seen by BBC Sport and sent to the six continental confederations. He said he would back the “greatest level of additional funding” that could be responsibly provided, without naming a specific amount.

The discussion follows pressure from Uefa and Concacaf, which have asked for $10m each for Fifa’s 211 members from reserves estimated at about £4.4bn. That proposal is due to be considered by the Fifa Council on 15 October. Infantino said he would not pre-empt the outcome, adding that a single figure would not be enough to settle a global policy question.

The letter also comes after backlash over Fifa’s aborted Football Forward Enterprise plan, which had suggested selling part of the commercial rights to the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Infantino defended the idea as a way to bring more money into the game, but it was withdrawn amid criticism. The issue matters because it highlights tensions over how Fifa should use its financial reserves and who should benefit from them, while broader scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership continues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.