UEFA and Concacaf are pressing FIFA over how its reserves should be used after the 2026 World Cup cycle. The two confederations want every one of FIFA’s 211 member associations to receive at least $10 million during the 2027-30 cycle. Their proposal would create a one-time distribution worth about $2.1 billion, separate from existing FIFA Forward funding.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani made the request in a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. They also called for an independent review of FIFA’s financial reserves and spending needs.
The proposal follows the collapse of FIFA Forward Enterprise, which had been presented as a way to expand development funding through commercial investment. FIFA has not publicly accepted the proposal.
UEFA and Concacaf want a direct distribution
Ceferin and Montagliani, both FIFA vice presidents, said FIFA is on course to close the 2023-26 financial cycle with reserves of about $6 billion. Their letter argues that the governing body has enough financial capacity to make a one-time release while continuing to meet its obligations through the next World Cup cycle.
The requested payment would be at least $10 million for each of FIFA’s 211 member associations. That produces a total of roughly $2.11 billion, with the money intended for football infrastructure and development rather than unrestricted spending.
The proposal would sit on top of existing FIFA Forward funding. Under the current Forward 3.0 cycle, each member association can receive up to $8 million across 2023-26, including project and operational support. As part of the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, FIFA had proposed increasing Forward funding to $20 million per association for 2027-30.
The letter also reflects the broader financial debate surrounding FIFA’s growing revenues and reserves. UEFA and Concacaf are effectively asking the organization to redirect part of that financial capacity toward national associations through a one-time development payment.
The request follows the collapse of FFE
The dispute centers on FIFA Forward Enterprise, a plan FIFA introduced in July as a new commercial structure for its competitions and related operations. FIFA said the proposed subsidiary would remain owned and controlled by FIFA while seeking additional commercial value to increase funding for football development.
The proposal faced resistance from several national associations and confederations. FIFA later abandoned the project after significant opposition emerged during the consultation period, ending a plan that had been presented as a route to more than $10 billion in development funding.
UEFA and Concacaf are now arguing that FIFA can provide substantial additional funding directly from its own balance sheet. Their proposal would use FIFA’s reserves to increase development funding without relying on the outside investment contemplated under FFE.
The timing also connects the funding request directly to FIFA’s broader financial strategy. With FFE no longer moving forward, the confederations are proposing a more straightforward mechanism in which FIFA would use its existing reserves to support development across its membership.
FIFA already has a global development system
FIFA Forward is the governing body’s main mechanism for distributing development money across its membership. The program supports projects such as infrastructure, national teams, competitions, coaching, administration, and other football-related needs under FIFA-approved development plans.
FIFA has earmarked $2.25 billion for Forward 3.0 across the full 2023-26 cycle. The first 3 years of that cycle accounted for about $1.45 billion in investments involving member associations, confederations, regional bodies, and other football organizations.
FIFA also proposed providing $20 million per member association through Forward for 2027-30 as part of the now-withdrawn Forward Enterprise plan. That proposal was separate from the new $10 million request from UEFA and Concacaf, which is being described as a one-time release from reserves.
Fun fact: FIFA’s Forward program has funded more than 1,600 specific football development projects since its launch in 2016 through the end of 2022, with about one-third involving football infrastructure.
The next step is a wider financial review
Ceferin and Montagliani have called for an independent assessment of FIFA’s reserves and financial requirements. The review is intended to determine how much FIFA needs to retain for operations and future commitments before any additional funds are distributed to its members.
The two confederation leaders also said they intend to seek support from the other continental confederations. A broader agreement among FIFA’s regional bodies could determine whether the proposal gains enough momentum for formal consideration by FIFA’s governing structures.
FIFA has not announced that it will make the proposed payments. FIFA was approached for comment, while the proposal remains part of a wider dispute over financial strategy, development spending and the abandoned Forward Enterprise plan.
What the proposed $10 million would change
For smaller football associations, a direct $10 million allocation could represent a significant development resource. FIFA Forward already targets areas such as facilities, national-team programs, competitions, and administrative capacity, and additional funding could be directed toward similar long-term projects under the proposed distribution.
The request also highlights the different approaches being debated for funding global football development. FIFA’s earlier plan sought to increase future distributions through a new commercial structure, while UEFA and Concacaf are pressing for a reserve-funded payment that would not depend on that structure.
The $2.1 billion figure would not replace FIFA Forward funding under the proposal. Instead, the one-time distribution would come alongside existing or separately proposed development resources, creating another potential funding stream for the 2027-30 cycle.
TL;DR
- UEFA and Concacaf want FIFA to give each of its 211 member associations at least $10 million.
- The proposed one-time distribution would total about $2.1 billion.
- The request would be separate from FIFA Forward development funding.
- The proposal follows the collapse of FIFA Forward Enterprise.
- UEFA and Concacaf are also seeking an independent review of FIFA’s reserves and financial needs.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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