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New Delhi: FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday set a September 19 deadline for the 211 member federations to approve his proposed private investment plan, which would provide each of them with access to up to $40 million in funding.

The letter to member federations comes amid growing criticism over the proposal, with ESPN reporting that UEFA is weighing options, including a potential World Cup boycott, citing a lack of consultation and governance. The FIFA president further wrote in the letter that a $10 billion funding package would be available if the plan is approved, compared with $2.7 billion if it is rejected.

He described the proposal as a “singular and unique funding opportunity”, outlining the plans to create a $20 billion FIFA subsidiary. The 20% will be owned by private investors to manage the football body’s competitions, including the World Cups and Club World Cups.

This proposal is backed by Thrive Capital, the investment firm which is founded by Joshua Kushner. Joshua Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“It is my duty and responsibility as FIFA president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members,” Infantino wrote in the letter seen by The Associated Press.

The proposal revealed on Tuesday received massive backlash from Infantino’s former colleagues at UEFA, which said the World Cup “is not FIFA’s to sell.” The European football governing body is expected to hold an emergency online meeting with its 55 member federations on Thursday.

UEFA could also threaten to boycott FIFA tournaments, a tactic the body also used in 2021, when it stopped Infantino’s plan to play the World Cup every two years instead of four.

UEFA and its president Aleksander Ceferin held a video conference on Wednesday between its five member federations with the biggest football leagues, including England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

“President Čeferin expressed his stance against this [FIFA] project. The situation is really total conflict,” Giovanni Malagò, the new president of Italian football, said.

Sources within England’s women’s football have described FIFA’s proposed plans as “unconscionable”, believing that it could have a damaging impact on the women’s game with decisions being driven by financial interests rather than player welfare.

The same sources also stated that they understand the necessity of a UEFA boycott to oppose FIFA’s plan, but they are concerned that women’s football could become a “pawn in politics” with the next World Cup being the women’s edition in 2027.

There are growing concerns that boycotting the women’s World Cup could be used as leverage to allow negotiations to continue between FIFA and UEFA to avoid a boycott of the men’s tournament, potentially leaving the women’s game as the casualty.

Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation also raised concerns over FIFA’s secret plan, criticising the lack of consultation and due process.