Infantino's opponents urge $10 million payments to federations from post-World Cup reserves Vice presidents from UEFA and CONCACAF have written to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, demanding that each of the 211 member federations receive an additional $10 million from FIFA's reserves after the North American World Cup, as part of a broader drive to replace Infantino amid controversies over private investment deals. The call for additional funds was made public on Friday when UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF leader Victor Montagliani sent a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, demanding that each of the 211 member federations receive a $10 million payment from the soccer body's post‑World Cup reserves. The letter notes that FIFA's cash reserves after the tournament should reach $6 billion, enabling a one‑off release of $2.1 billion in total. The move comes as the executives aim to oust Infantino before the March presidential election, citing his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors led by Joshua Kushner.Infantino, who has been president since 2016, has built close ties to U.S. political circles, notably visiting the White House frequently during the North American quad‑host edition of the World Cup in 2026. He had proposed distributing $20 million to each federation to support his now‑abandoned private equity initiative, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise.The UEFA and CONCACAF leaders view the $10 million demand as a counter‑offer that would still bolster federations while avoiding the perceived conflict of interest that surrounded the Kushner deal. In addition to the funding demand, The letter calls for a full, independent audit of FIFA's finances ahead of an October 15 meeting in Zurich. The audit would determine how much money can responsibly be allocated to federations and would inform a broader review of Infantino's stewardship.Ceferin and Montagliani also stated they intend to inform the other confederation presidents so that a consensus can be reached at the council meeting. Support for Infantino remains split. While the Asian Football Confederation has been critical in recent weeks, the South American and African confederations have continued to back him. Infantino reportedly visited the Caribbean earlier this month to try to shore up support from CONCACAF members, despite Montagliani's earlier request that he refrain from such visits.The controversy erupted after media reports in July revealed Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The plan was widely condemned across the football world and prompted calls for a secretive investigation. UEFA has requested legal action in Manhattan and Florida to discover evidence regarding the Kushner investment firm and FIFA's plans, while also seeking documents that could lead to a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.The FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October will feature leaders from all five confederations, who will discuss the funding proposal and the future direction of the sport. The council is also set to address whether Infantino should be allowed to run for a fourth term, which would extend his presidency to 2031 and end with the 2030 World Cup co‑hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Candidates for the upcoming election are yet to formally declare.Speculation currently focuses on Canada's Victor Montagliani and Qatar's Nasser al‑Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint‑Germain and a member of the Qatari government. Neither has yet indicated an intention to challenge Infantino, who also enjoys public backing from Qatar's national federation. FIFA officials have stated that the $20 million annual allocation promised to each federation through 2030 will continue as committed, regardless of the change in leadership.The $10 million payment, if approved, would be a one‑off transfer funded out of the post‑World Cup cash reserves, providing a short‑term boost to federations while the council works to restore long‑term financial stability. The letter remains confidential, but the letters were made public by the Associated Press.The document's public release signals a sharpening of the intensity around the upcoming election, as the world's governing body grapples with a debate on transparency, accountability and the appropriate balance of private investment and public sporting governance.