NFF President Pinnick Prefers FIFA's $40 Million Allocation to State Assistance

Amaju Pinnick, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, has expressed his support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions, citing its potential to enable developing nations to fund football independently of government intervention.

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Pinnick, who serves as deputy chairperson of FIFA's Men's National Teams Competitions Committee, has praised Infantino's consistent introduction of reforms that have benefited football associations worldwide.

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Infantino has sent a letter to all 211 FIFA member associations, urging them to support the creation of a new commercial structure for FIFA competitions, a proposal that was first reported by The Times.

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The plan involves establishing a new commercial subsidiary valued at $20bn, with private investors holding a 20 per cent stake, and the company would manage the commercial rights to competitions including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

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FIFA's 211 member associations have until September 19 to approve or reject the proposal, which has already attracted criticism from several football governing bodies, particularly in Europe.

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Speaking on Arise Television's The Morning Show on Thursday, Pinnick argued that the proposal should not be viewed as controversial, as it has the potential to generate more revenue for FIFA's member associations.

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Pinnick recalled his experience as NFF president, when he personally funded some small countries with $20,000 or $40,000 to enable them to participate in matches, and noted that the proposed investment could provide each member association with $20m, in addition to $20m from the FIFA Forward Programme.

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Pinnick emphasized that the integrity of the fund and the company, as well as the disbursement and use of the funds, should be the primary concerns, and expressed confidence in FIFA's control mechanisms.

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Meanwhile, the president of the Confederation of African Football, Dr Patrice Motsepe, will host a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee next week to assess and evaluate the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.

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CAF has encouraged its member associations to examine the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal and participate in the consultation process, in accordance with CAF and FIFA's regulations and established procedures.

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CAF has stated its commitment to continue consulting and working with its member associations, FIFA, and other stakeholders to increase financial and other resources for the development and growth of football in Africa and worldwide.

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Currently, member associations receive $8m under the current arrangement, and neither CAF nor the NFF has publicly stated its position on the proposal.

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The NFF is scheduled to hold its elective congress in September, and while both CAF president Patrice Motsepe and NFF president Ibrahim Gusau have expressed support for Infantino's leadership, they have not yet stated their positions on the proposal.

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Motsepe has recently endorsed Infantino's reform agenda, and Gusau has backed the FIFA president's bid for another term in office.