UEFA and CONCACAF call on Infantino to make $10m payments to all FIFA members

An open letter signed by the two wealthiest football confederations has been sent to FIFA headquarters in Zurich with an unprecedented demand: pay $10 million immediately to each of the 211 member federations, before the presidential election in March next year. Behind that figure lies a political blow aimed directly at Gianni Infantino's power.

The $10 million per federation, if implemented, would create a one-off distribution package worth $2.1 billion. That number is not small, but what caught observers' attention is not the amount, but the way it was presented. The letter, signed by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani, argues that FIFA holds around $6 billion in reserves, and releasing a portion of this resource is necessary to support smaller federations in a difficult global economic context.

The key point lies in the detail: the proposed $10 million is lower than the $20 million Infantino had committed to each federation for the 2026-2026 period, but it is presented as an unconditional payment, while the incumbent president's $20 million commitment was tied to federations supporting his commercial plan. This framing turns a smaller figure into a more politically attractive offer, especially for small federations dependent on FIFA funding.

The context of this crisis stems from a leaked plan: the creation of a separate commercial company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, valued at up to $20 billion, involving a group of investors led by Joshua Kushner, brother-in-law of former US President Donald Trump. The plan was exposed by the press and met with fierce opposition from several federations. UEFA and CONCACAF see this as an act of opaque governance, and the open letter is their tool to turn that discontent into a political attack.

Another notable signal is that the letter insists the already-committed $20 million funding per federation through 2030 will remain intact. This move shows the opposition does not want to be seen as wreckers of existing commitments, but rather wants to expand the pie with new resources. This is a wise strategy to reassure small federations worried about losing funding if they turn against Infantino.

The blind spot of this game is that the opposition currently has no declared candidate to replace Infantino. Without a concrete name, all calls for resignation are just empty shouts. The deadline for candidacy is November 18, and the election will take place in Rabat, Morocco, a country seen as an Infantino ally. This gives the incumbent president a significant home advantage.

Arithmetically, Infantino still holds a solid coalition: CONMEBOL (South America) and CAF (Africa) along with the Qatar Football Association have publicly expressed support. Meanwhile, the AFC (Asia) has only reached the level of "criticism" without firmly siding with the opposition. This support from the "Global South + Gulf capital" bloc has been the historical foundation of Infantino's power, and it remains intact.

A legal factor that could change the landscape is the threat of filing a criminal complaint with Swiss prosecutors over "possible financial mismanagement." FIFA is domiciled in Switzerland, and a formal investigation would be a legal nightmare for Infantino, regardless of the election outcome. Meanwhile, US courts in Manhattan and Florida are also being asked to compel FIFA to produce documents related to the failed $20 billion project.

The real battle is not about the $10 million or $20 million figures, but about who will control the massive cash flows of world football in the next decade. The $2.1 billion, if released, would be a huge resource for small federations, but it is also a promise the opposition has not proven feasible. The letter itself conditions the decision on a "full and independent analysis of FIFA's finances" before the FIFA Council meeting on October 15. This self-imposed condition shows the opposition is not even sure about the numbers they are putting forward.

In Lyon, where I follow the local team, this story sounds distant from goals and tackles. But it is not distant at all. If small federations receive an extra $10 million, that money will flow into youth academies, infrastructure, and international trips for national teams. It will change the lives of thousands of young players in countries where football lacks development conditions. That is why this power battle is not just a matter for grey-haired bosses in Zurich.

The March election in Rabat will be the climax of one of the most turbulent periods in FIFA's history since the 2026 corruption crisis. Can Infantino survive this storm, or will the opposition find a candidate strong enough to unseat him? The answer may come sooner than we think, right after the FIFA Council meeting in mid-October. Then we will know whether the numbers in that letter are a real promise or just a political lever.