Fifa’s proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors aims to provide member associations with more money for football development. However, historically, funds have been unevenly distributed, with millions either lost or not used for their intended purposes.
Reactions from confederations
Uefa has expressed outrage, Concacaf has voiced concern, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is disappointed at the lack of consultation. The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has not yet commented. Asia and Africa have been strong supporters of Gianni Infantino, but extra cash may help prevent dissent from Kuala Lumpur or Cairo.
Significant sums but limited oversight
The promised redistribution of over $10bn could benefit countries lacking infrastructure, but oversight has often been insufficient. Only about a fifth of federations return audited accounts detailing spending.
Examples of misuse
Between 2015 and 2025, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) received over $20m in development grants. In 2024, Harrison Jalla of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria demanded accountability: “What happened to these funds from Fifa and Caf? All these funds disappeared into thin air and translated into huge debts.” In October, the Nigerian parliament launched an investigation. Lawmaker Adedayo Adesola noted: “There has been a significant absence of visible improvement or grassroots growth in Nigerian football, despite these massive financial interventions.”
In March, Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, president of DR Congo’s football federation, was convicted of embezzling $1.3m of Fifa funds intended for a training centre, women’s football, and Covid relief. In 2019, Fifa banned Caf executive Musa Bility for ten years for misappropriating Fifa funds.
In Asia, Nepal’s FA was suspended in June due to third-party interference, following financial irregularities that led to funds being cut in 2021. Former FA president Ganesh Thapa was banned by Fifa for ten years in 2015 for misconduct.
In India in 2024, legal head Nilanjan Bhattacharjee accused federation president Kaylan Chaubey of corruption; Chaubey denied the charges. The AFC requested evidence but has not responded.
In Bangladesh, over $7m was allocated for football projects between 2016 and 2022, but only about $620,000 was reportedly used. In 2023, Fifa reported financial irregularities, and general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag was banned. His appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was upheld in 2024.
Need for transparency
More transparency and oversight are needed to ensure that funds generated by football are used properly, as history shows that more money does not automatically lead to investment in the sport.
