Infantino plays the money card, promises more funds to FIFA members

FIFA’s coffers could open even wider. Gianni Infantino, the institution’s president, has signalled his willingness to distribute to the 211 members of the international federation a larger share of the liquidity reserves, which amount to 4.4 billion pounds.

In a letter sent to the six continental confederations and published by the BBC, the FIFA president assures he will support “the highest level of additional funding that can responsibly be offered”. The proposal comes at a moment when pressure on Infantino is growing after the failure of the World Cup privatisation project. UEFA and CONCACAF have asked FIFA to distribute 10 million dollars to each member association.

The matter will be discussed by the FIFA Council on 15 October. “I will not say the amount prematurely,” Infantino writes. “A figure can start a discussion, but it cannot complete a global policy. The latest commercial proposal, already withdrawn, was intended to allow FIFA to invest more in football.”

The president of the Football Association and FIFA vice-president, Debbie Hewitt, has called for the publication of all documents related to the matter and an independent review of the project.