ZURICH, Switzerland – Demand for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to Release Funds

Leading figures in soccer are urging FIFA President Gianni Infantino to tap into a $6 billion reserve, claiming his controversial plan to sell World Cup rights was unnecessary, as revealed in a letter obtained by The Post.

In a letter sent to Infantino on Friday, CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin suggested distributing at least $10 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations. This proposal would total around $2.1 billion over the next four years.

They criticized the previously proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, which faced considerable backlash from soccer officials and fans. Infantino had initially presented this initiative as essential for selling a “share” of FIFA competitions to external investors to support local soccer initiatives.

However, the leaders of these confederations argue that FIFA’s financial records demonstrate there is already plenty of money available.

“FIFA already has the capacity to deliver substantially more to its [member associations] from its own balance sheet without any sale of interests in its competitions,” they noted in their letter.

“FIFA is set to finish 2023-26 with reserves of about USD 6 billion—the highest in its history and significantly more than what is needed to cover any deficits in the aftermath of a World Cup,” the letter continued.

They further asserted, “Our analysis indicates that FIFA should allocate at least USD 10 million to each of its 211 member associations during the 2027-30 cycle for infrastructure and football development—totaling around USD 2.1 billion. This would be a one-time release of reserves on top of the approved FIFA Forward Programme, which will remain fully funded as promised.”

Even after distributing $2.1 billion, FIFA would maintain at least $1.5 billion in reserves, according to the letter.

This pushback is a continuation of the fallout from Infantino’s failed attempt to privatize World Cup commercial rights, which was projected to be a $4.2 billion deal with Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital, who is linked to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.

The proposal faced significant resistance from European associations; this publication previously reported on the fallout.

“This money is meant for soccer. Infantino must release it now if he truly cares about the game,” remarked a UEFA insider. “If he doesn’t, it only strengthens the belief that he’s enriching himself at soccer’s expense.”

Moreover, UEFA has initiated a lawsuit in the US targeting FIFA’s American subsidiaries to uncover information regarding the Thrive Capital discussions.

The European soccer organization is also seeking discovery materials that could lead to a possible Swiss criminal mismanagement complaint against Infantino.

The legal challenges have even caused Infantino to discreetly skip a recent exclusive event in the Hamptons last month.

Now, Čeferin and Montagliani are advocating for an independent financial review. They argue that releasing these reserves would demonstrate that member associations shouldn’t have to compromise between investment and integrity.

The Post has reached out to FIFA, UEFA, and CONCACAF for comment.