Fifa is set to propose a $3.4bn (£2.6bn) increase in the amount of money it distributes for football development worldwide. The governing body wants to release the funds from its reserves, in a move that would double the level of planned distribution funding for the 2027-2030 cycle. The proposal will be made at a meeting of Fifa’s council on Thursday.
The plan arrives amid pressure on Fifa following the collapse of president Gianni Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. Infantino had wanted to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors, but the idea drew huge criticism. Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation questioned his position after the plan was aborted.
Before the new proposal, Uefa and Concacaf wrote to Infantino in September asking Fifa to pay at least $10m (£7.5m) from its cash reserves to each of its 211 member associations. In a letter then sent to Fifa’s six continental confederations, Infantino said he would support “the greatest level of additional funding that can responsibly be delivered”. Infantino will stand for re-election for a fourth time in March 2027.
The extra money would come on top of the current $2.7bn budgeted to be paid to all 211 member associations, the confederations, regional associations and certain non-Fifa affiliated associations. Under the proposed breakdown, each member association would receive $25m (£19m); each of the six confederations would receive $99m (£75m); each of the 13 zonal/regional associations would receive $8.25m (£6.3m); and 100 member associations would receive $1.1m (£836,000) for travel and equipment solidarity.
The distribution terms would allocate one third to women’s and youth football development, one third to infrastructure, with equal access to women’s and youth football, and one third to projects. The plan, including eligibility, application, approval, disbursement, control and audit requirements, is to be finalised by the Fifa council at its next meeting in December 2026. It would then be subject to approval by the 77th Fifa congress in March 2027.