The pressure around Gianni Infantino is rising again, with three continental confederations now urging FIFA to send a far larger share of its expected World Cup wealth back to national associations.
Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has joined UEFA and Concacaf in calling for multi-million-dollar payments to FIFA’s 211 member federations. The request comes ahead of a FIFA meeting scheduled for 15 October.
Quick facts
- UEFA and Concacaf want every FIFA member association to receive at least $10 million.
- The proposed distribution is linked to FIFA’s major revenues in the 2023-2026 cycle.
- The commercial performance of the 2026 World Cup is central to the argument for increased payments.
- Sheikh Salman has asked FIFA to review its reserves at the 15 October meeting.
- Infantino has indicated he is willing to discuss governance reform with member associations.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani made their demand in a letter sent to FIFA on Friday. They argued that the governing body’s substantial profits over the current four-year financial period should produce a minimum payment of $10 million for each federation.
Sheikh Salman followed that move on Monday, writing to Infantino to seek a review of FIFA’s financial reserves. The Bahraini official said FIFA’s commercial success should ultimately serve football and the national associations that make up its membership.
He pointed to the exceptional business results expected from the 2026 World Cup, arguing that the tournament should create an opportunity to increase support for associations and football development across the world.
The AFC president had already taken a similar position alongside UEFA and Concacaf when Infantino considered selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Sheikh Salman has also called in recent weeks for the FIFA president to step down.
Infantino, facing growing resistance from within football’s power structure, wrote to federation presidents on Monday to say he was open to talks on changing FIFA’s governance. The debate over how FIFA’s reserves are used is now moving alongside the wider challenge to his leadership.
