Infantino signals bigger cash payout to Fifa's member nations

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has indicated that member associations could receive a larger payout than previously discussed from the organisation's estimated £4.4bn cash reserves.

In a letter sent to Fifa's six continental confederations on Monday and seen by BBC Sport, Infantino said he would support "the greatest level of additional funding that can responsibly be delivered." The letter follows a demand from Uefa and Concacaf, the confederations representing Europe and North/Central America and the Caribbean, that Fifa pay $10m (£7.5m) to each of its 211 member associations from its reserves. The proposal is set to go before the Fifa Council when it meets on 15 October.

"I will not prejudge the amount," Infantino wrote. "A single figure can begin the discussion, but it cannot complete a global policy."

Fallout from a withdrawn plan

Infantino has faced mounting criticism over his now-abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have sold stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors, triggering significant backlash within football. In his letter, he again defended the withdrawn plan, saying it had been designed to let Fifa invest more in the game.

Earlier this month, Football Association chair and Fifa vice-president Debbie Hewitt called on Infantino to release all documents related to the controversial proposal and demanded an independent review of FFE.

Infantino is set to stand for a fourth term as Fifa president in March 2027. Any rivals seeking to put forward an alternative candidate have until 18 November to do so.