FIFA is proposing a fund package totalling $6bn distributed to its member associations after generating a record $15bn in revenue from the 2026 World Cup last summer.
FIFA is looking to pay each association member $25m from 2027 to 2030, an increase of $15m from a previously proposed $10m for the same time period.
FIFA is also planning to provide its six confederations nearly $100m after many spoke out against President Gianni Infantino’s failed plans to sell off equity of its competitions, in particular UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF.
Infantino, in a bid to restore his relationships with association members after the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal failed, met with members to discuss an improved funding package in September.
Football’s governing body intends to distribute over $3.5bn from reserves, according to an anonymous source cited by The Athletic, to fund the package, which has been called upon by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani.
It is set to be discussed during a FIFA Council meeting today (15 October), before moving onto a consultation meeting in December, until eventually – if it progresses – can be voted on during the FIFA Congress meeting in March 2027.
A timely move before an election?
Infantino’s position as President is under more scrutiny than ever before due to the fallout of the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.
His plan to sell-off stakes in FIFA competitions like the World Cup caused Čeferin and Montagliani to stand down as President, with many association members withdrawing their support for him.
Despite this, Infantino remains on course to be re-elected at the FIFA Congress in March 2027 for a fourth term as he currently faces zero opposition, although former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega has recently declared his intention to run for Presidency.
The deadline for candidates to submit their intention to run for President is 18 November.
A rule change to prevent another Trump-like intervention
Another criticism that was levied against Infantino was his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
This was thrusted into the spotlight when football’s governing body cleared US men’s national team forward Florian Balogun to play in the Round of 32 World Cup against Belgium, despite receiving a red card in the previous game against Turkey which would have typically suspended him.
A Disciplinary Committee invoked Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code placing Balogun’s one-match suspension on a one-year probation instead of enforcing it, but only before it was revealed that the Trump Administration had spoken to FIFA to wipe Balogun’s suspension against Belgium after providing “additional evidence”.
According to a report from TalkSport, delegates at today’s FIFA Council meeting are expected to move forward with a motion to prevent automatic one-match bans.
Infantino, who maintains he had no involvement in Balogun’s suspension being lifted, had rushed through his reasoning behind the decision, with critics set to push him on why the decision was made.
