Image Credit: AP NEWS | FIFA funding proposal
FIFA plans to propose a $6.35 billion soccer development fund for 2027–2030, including $25 million for each of its 211 national associations, according to reporting by The Associated Press on October 13. The FIFA soccer funding proposal would substantially increase the amount previously planned for each association.
The package would support national soccer associations, the sport’s six continental confederations, and other stakeholders. It remains subject to approval and does not represent money already distributed. AP reported that two people familiar with the proposal confirmed its details, speaking anonymously because the plan had not been announced. The news agency also reviewed a September 28 letter from FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the leaders of the six confederations.
Each national association had originally been expected to receive $10 million over the next four-year period. The proposed $25 million allocation would increase that figure by $15 million, or 150%. Across all 211 associations, those allocations would total $5.275 billion. The proposal also provides $99 million for each continental confederation, bringing their combined allocation to $594 million.
The overall package is therefore broader than the grants earmarked for national associations. AP’s initial report did not provide a complete breakdown of the remaining allocation.
FIFA Soccer Funding Would Draw on World Cup Revenue
FIFA intends to use the financial performance of the expanded 48-team World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, to increase its investment in global soccer development.
More than $3.5 billion would come from FIFA’s financial reserves, according to the officials cited by AP. One person familiar with the discussions said the continental confederations suggested using those reserves.
The officials said FIFA estimates approximately $15 billion in revenue for the 2022–2026 cycle, substantially above its projections. That figure covers the entire financial cycle; it is not a measure of revenue from the World Cup alone.
The proposed FIFA financial reserve distribution would convert part of the governing body’s accumulated resources into additional development support. The reported plan does not specify the reserves that would remain after the distribution.
In his September 28 letter, Infantino described agreement among confederation leaders that FIFA’s financial success should benefit the sport and all its member associations. He also expressed confidence that the discussions could produce a sustainable funding arrangement serving soccer across the world.
The FIFA soccer funding proposal is expected to undergo consideration by the FIFA Council before members vote at the organization’s congress in March 2027. The approval process separates the proposed allocations from binding commitments to recipients.
Development Program Provides the Existing Framework
FIFA currently distributes development support through its Forward program. Under Forward 3.0, each member association can receive up to $8 million for the 2023–2026 cycle, covering operational needs and approved development projects.
That current entitlement is distinct from the $10 million initially proposed for the upcoming cycle and the $25 million now under discussion.
Existing funding can support facilities, competitions, national teams, and administrative systems. The program includes activities involving men’s, women’s, and youth soccer, alongside infrastructure such as pitches and technical centers.
FIFA’s published framework requires agreed development objectives, project monitoring, and independent financial audits. These requirements provide background to FIFA member funding; they do not establish the final conditions of the proposed 2027–2030 package.
The initial AP account did not identify separate amounts for youth soccer grants or women’s soccer funding within the new total. Detailed allocations and implementation rules remain important elements of the approval process.
Proposal Comes Ahead of Presidential Election
The announcement also comes as Infantino seeks reelection in 2027. He became FIFA president in 2016. European soccer leaders have been seeking a potential challenger following opposition to his proposed World Cup private investment arrangement, which was abandoned shortly after its disclosure in July.
UEFA announced in August that it was preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland concerning possible financial mismanagement connected with that arrangement. It also sought authorization from U.S. courts to obtain evidence. Those steps do not establish wrongdoing.
UEFA’s 55 member associations represent more than a quarter of FIFA’s 211 voting members. The presidential election is scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, Morocco, with a November 18 deadline for candidates to enter.
The FIFA soccer funding plan now awaits council consideration and congressional approval. Until those decisions occur, the $6.35 billion package and the proposed $25 million association allocations remain proposals.
This story was originally featured in the BBC