Fifa: a financial aid plan presented in "the weeks to come" (Infantino) - France 24

Paris (AFP)

Fifa President Gianni Infantino said he hoped to present a financial aid plan for football at the next meeting of the council of the world authority "in the weeks to come", in a video message addressed to the member associations.

"In a spirit of constructive consultation and with the interest of the whole of football in mind, Fifa is working tirelessly to present a solution to the FIFA Council in the coming weeks," said the manager.

"We are developing a system that is both pragmatic and based on the needs of its beneficiaries. We want the spectrum of this plan to be as wide as possible, which obviously includes women's football. It must work in a way modern, efficient and transparent, which requires a solid governance structure capable of being accountable for the allocation of financial aid, "he said.

The world football authority has already paid in advance, at the end of April, $ 150 million to its 211 member federations, i.e. all the aid planned for the years 2019 and 2020.

The Covid-19 crisis, which caused the cessation of competitions and the postponement of a year of some such as the Euro and Copa America, had the effect of a seismic shock in the accounts of football players .

In France, President Noël Le Graët estimated the losses suffered by the FFF at around ten million euros in an interview with AFP.

On a European scale, UEFA announced at the end of April that it would pay EUR 236.5 million to its members to help them overcome the difficulties linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

Another subject raised by Gianni Infantino, the international calendar. This must be rethought in the light of the changes that have upset the national championships, most of which in Europe will end this summer.

"I am also pleased to announce that we have made good progress on another very important subject, namely the international match calendar. In consultation with the various stakeholders, we are approaching a balanced solution which takes account of the difficulties and everyone's needs, "said the FIFA boss.

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