Bangladesh and fellow member associations could secure an additional $10 million (£7.7 million) in football development funds following a joint initiative by European governing body UEFA and North American federation CONCACAF. The two governing bodies have urged FIFA to disburse more than $2 billion directly from its existing cash reserves without resorting to selling off commercial rights to private equity firms.
In a formal letter delivered to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani called for the immediate release of surplus capital to support football infrastructure worldwide. They argued that FIFA’s existing financial buffer remains well-positioned to fund the payouts without compromising long-term liquidity or privatising tournament assets.
Under the detailed blueprint put forward by Čeferin and Montagliani, distribution would be allocated as follows:
Each of FIFA’s 211 member associations, including the Bangladesh Football Federation, would receive a direct grant of $10 million. The six continental confederations—spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania—would receive $36 million apiece, while regional sub-confederations would be allocated $3 million each. According to financial projections provided by UEFA and CONCACAF, FIFA would retain a robust cash reserve of $2.6 billion even after completing the $2 billion disbursement.
The proposal intensifies institutional pressure on Infantino, who has faced mounting criticism over his controversial “FIFA Forward Enterprise” (FFE) initiative. That plan outlined a strategy to raise capital by selling a 20 per cent stake in the commercial and media rights of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investment funds. Reporting by The Times indicated that Infantino had made additional development payouts contingent on member associations endorsing his commercial equity proposal.
Confederation leaders strongly rejected Infantino’s approach, accusing him of pursuing structural changes without prior consultation with the FIFA Council. Opponents maintained that selling equity in international football’s flagship events creates unnecessary financial exposure when FIFA already holds adequate capital to assist national associations directly.
The funding proposal and broader review of FIFA’s balance sheet are scheduled for formal discussion at the upcoming FIFA Council meeting on 15 October. While Infantino has expressed openness toward increasing financial allocations to member nations, the exact quantum of funding and final distribution terms remain subject to Council approval.
