FIFA plans $10 billion funding initiative to accelerate global football development

Wednesday 29 July 2026 - 13:47

By: Azzat Manal

FIFA plans $10 billion funding initiative to accelerate global football development

FIFA is preparing a major financial reform aimed at accelerating the development of football worldwide, with plans to allocate more than $10 billion to national football associations over the next four years. The proposal still requires approval from the FIFA Council and a majority of the organization's 211 member associations.

The initiative is designed to increase funding for football infrastructure, youth development, training programs and the long-term professionalization of national federations across the world.

To support the ambitious investment plan, FIFA is considering the creation of a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise. The organization would remain fully controlled by FIFA and would consolidate commercial activities linked to international competitions.

The proposed structure would seek to maximize revenues from broadcasting rights, sponsorship agreements, ticket sales and commercial licensing while allowing FIFA to retain full authority over sporting regulations and competition-related decisions.

Under the plan, FIFA Forward Enterprise could raise as much as $4.2 billion from minority long-term investors, based on a potential valuation of approximately $20 billion. Any profits generated through the structure would be directed toward football development programs.

If approved, the reform would also significantly increase financial support for FIFA's member associations through the FIFA Forward program. Funding could rise to as much as $20 million per association for the 2027–2030 period, compared with the current maximum of $8 million. The amount could then increase to $22 million for 2031–2034 and reach $24 million between 2035 and 2038.

The proposed financing package would give national associations greater resources to strengthen domestic competitions, improve player development and modernize their football structures.

FIFA is also planning a complementary initiative known as the FIFA Fast-Forward Programme. Under the proposed scheme, each of the organization's 211 member associations could have access to up to $20 million in additional funding for infrastructure projects, including the construction or renovation of stadiums, national training centers and other football facilities.

The program is intended to help reduce disparities between football associations with different levels of financial resources and provide less-developed federations with additional support to build sustainable football systems.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has presented the proposal as part of a broader effort to distribute the financial benefits generated by international football more widely. The organization argues that revenues from major competitions should help every member association, regardless of its size or current level of development, create its own long-term strategy for growth.

The proposal follows the expansion of the FIFA Forward program and the strong commercial performance associated with the 2026 World Cup, which FIFA says have helped increase support for emerging football associations.

However, the reform remains subject to several governance procedures before it can be implemented. FIFA must consult its member associations and secure approval from its governing bodies before establishing FIFA Forward Enterprise.

The organization has also emphasized that any minority investors involved in financing the proposed commercial entity would have no influence over FIFA's governance, international competitions or sporting regulations. Those areas would remain under FIFA's exclusive control.

If approved, the plan could represent one of the most significant financial expansions in the history of global football development, potentially providing national associations with unprecedented resources to invest in infrastructure, talent development and the future growth of the sport.