FIFA has informed its member associations they could receive up to $40 million each if they support a proposal to sell stakes in some of its major competitions, with a deadline of 19 September to opt into the plan.
The proposal forms part of FIFA's plans to establish a new commercial subsidiary that would manage tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup. The announcement has sparked criticism from several football bodies.
European football governing body UEFA opposed the proposal, saying the FIFA World Cup is not "an asset to trade", while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it had not been consulted before the plans were announced.
European Union sports commissioner Glenn Micallef also criticised the proposal, urging FIFA to keep commercial interests away from the sport.
According to The Times, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told member associations in a letter that a $10 billion funding package would be available to those that support the proposal.
Infantino reportedly said the decision would be left to each individual member association.
In the letter, he stated that associations choosing to back the proposal would gain access to the funding package from 1 January 2027, while those opting to retain the current structure would continue to benefit from FIFA's planned expansion of its Forward Programme, which is expected to provide $2.7 billion in development funding.
He added that under the new proposal, each member association could access funding of up to $40 million during the next funding cycle beginning in 2027.
The Times reported that critics of the proposal have described the offer as "pure bribery", arguing that the financial incentives are intended to secure support for the controversial restructuring plan.