FIFA presidential candidates Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein and Jerome Champagne both proposed huge assistance packages to developing countries while giving presentations to Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials Saturday at the regional body’s general meeting in Antigua.Delivering from a prepared script, Jordan’s Prince Ali promised – if he becomes president — a massive 400 per cent increase to US$1 million annually for Caribbean countries from the governing body’s Financial Assistance Programme (FAP).
“I would raise the finance assistance programme from US$250,000 to a targeted minimum of US$1 million dollars per year. FIFA’s work so far must be acknowledged but it can do much more,” said Ali.
“This is not a political move, this is to reflect the needs of national associations of developing nations and the fact that there have been no increase in FAPs for more than two decades. FIFA can afford it without jeopardising development’s support,” added the 39-year-old Prince Ali.
Champagne, a former FIFA deputy secretary general, speaking confidently in a completely unscripted presentation, also supported an FAP increase but proposed doubling the figure to US$500,000.
“My proposal is realistic. We want to double the financial assistance from FIFA from US$250,000 to half a million a year as a first step,” he said.
Frenchman Champagne, 57, said FAP upgrades should be measured, given possible financial issues the world governing body could face in the coming months.
“First we need to assess the exact state of the FIFA finances. FIFA is under investigation, will FIFA receive a fine for all these problems? So we want to make a difference and half a million would make a difference for a lot of federations but we have to go about it cautiously,” he said.
Prince Ali promised that under his watch, all 209 FIFA affiliates would have an international facility for football.
“Every National association will have a dedicated National Stadium,” he said.

FIFA has February 26 elections in Zurich to vote on a new president, replacing disgraced longtime former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter.
Both Prince Ali and Champagne, anxious to secure CFU votes for next month’s elections, also supported an increase in World Cup spots for CONCACAF teams.
“This really has been won and clinched on the field. Look at how Costa Rica reached the quarter finals, the United States always very strong. The CONCACAF teams earned this half additional spot on the field,” Champagne said.
Switzerland’s Gianni Infantino addressed the CFU yesterday and Bahrain’s FIFA vice-president Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, widely regarded as a front runner in the presidential race, did not attend because his schedule “did not permit his presence”. Sheikh Salman submitted a letter that was shared at the CFU session late Saturday.(Sportsmax.com)