FIFA plans $6.35 billion funding package to support global football development

12:57

By: Azzat Manal

FIFA plans $6.35 billion funding package to support global football development

FIFA is preparing a new funding package worth $6.35 billion to expand football development programmes worldwide between 2027 and 2030. The proposed plan could provide additional resources to national football associations, including Morocco’s Royal Moroccan Football Federation, as the governing body reviews its financial support arrangements for the next four-year cycle.

According to Agence France-Presse, citing a source familiar with the discussions, the proposal would allocate $25 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations, alongside funding for continental confederations. The initiative is intended to strengthen football infrastructure and development programmes across countries with different levels of financial and sporting capacity.

FIFA is expected to finance part of the increase through its financial reserves, supported by the substantial commercial revenues generated by the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament’s income has expanded the organisation’s financial capacity and created scope for further investment in the global game.

The proposal follows calls from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani for greater financial assistance to national associations. They have reportedly advocated an increase of at least $10 million in additional support for each association, reflecting ongoing discussions over how FIFA’s resources should be distributed.

FIFA’s Council is scheduled to discuss the funding plan at a meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, attended by President Gianni Infantino and the council’s 36 members. The proposal would still need to receive formal approval before implementation, with further details expected to clarify how the funding would be allocated and which development activities would qualify.

The discussions are taking place alongside broader debate over FIFA’s governance and future operating model. Infantino has reportedly stepped back from a proposal to open the organisation to private-sector investment after objections from several influential confederations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF.

At the end of September, the FIFA president also launched consultations with national associations on possible reforms to the organisation’s operating mechanisms. The talks come as Infantino prepares for the presidential election scheduled for March 2027, following a decade in office.

If approved, the funding package could offer national associations additional resources to invest in grassroots football, coaching, youth development, facilities and other programmes. For Morocco, the proposed allocation could provide further support to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, subject to FIFA’s final rules and implementation framework.

The plan would mark a significant expansion of FIFA’s development funding, although its eventual impact will depend on the final distribution criteria, oversight mechanisms and the ability of member associations to turn additional resources into sustainable improvements across the sport.