FIFA is pressing ahead with plans to raise £3.1 billion by October through a controversial World Cup spin-off project, despite strong resistance and possible boycott threats from European countries. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is offering member associations a cash incentive worth £65 million to support the proposal, but UEFA and leaders in Asian football have voiced serious concern over what they see as a unilateral move.

FIFA is moving quickly with the launch of a new World Cup subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). According to Sky News, world football's governing body wants to secure as much as $4.2bn (£3.1bn) from private investors by October by selling a 20 per cent stake in the $20bn venture.

The secrecy around the plan and the speed with which it is being pushed through have sparked anger across world football, with European associations actively discussing the possibility of a World Cup boycott in protest. Critics believe the venture could allow Infantino to maintain influence over the tournament even after his presidential term limit ends in 2031.

In an effort to win support before the September 19 deadline, FIFA has told its 211 member associations that an $86m (£65m) payout would be available over 12 years to help cover staff salaries. Even so, the proposal has created major divisions, although it has received backing from individual federations such as the Czech Republic FA.

Opposition to the project is gathering pace, with UEFA leading the criticism and saying the proposal "crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross." European officials are angry about the absence of consultation, including within Infantino's own FIFA Council.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa also criticised the process in a letter to members, saying he was deeply troubled by FIFA's unilateral approach. "The AFC is deeply concerned that FIFA's unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football," Sheikh Salman wrote.

The English FA repeated those concerns, saying it was "deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved."

The financial viability of the $20bn subsidiary may depend on expanding FIFA's biggest competitions. The same report said Infantino wants to increase the men's World Cup to 64 teams, even though the tournament has only recently been expanded to 48 teams for the edition won by Spain. To get the FFE subsidiary off the ground, Infantino is working with financial giant JP Morgan and investor Joshua Kushner. The commercial strategy is designed to define and regulate competitions in order to drive growth, but governing bodies argue that it puts the sport's core principles at risk.

Speaking about the tight timetable imposed on federations, Sheikh Salman said a decision of this scale should never be rushed through without proper financial or legal analysis. He stressed that "it is imperative that all factors be considered and debated" before any binding agreements are completed.

Member associations have until September 19 to approve the proposal or risk missing out on the promised $86m funding package. Binding bids, commitment letters and long-form agreements are due to be completed before the October fund transfer window.

With European nations warning of a coordinated boycott and continental confederations calling for full transparency, Infantino faces a major challenge in trying to keep the global game united. The next few weeks will decide whether football's governing bodies can find common ground or whether the sport is heading towards a major institutional split.