FIFA has proposed increasing its global football development funding to $6.35 billion for the 2027-2030 cycle following the projected financial success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The proposal, presented at the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, would more than double planned funding for the next four-year period under a new initiative known as the FIFA Surplus Solidarity Programme.Based on an unaudited projected surplus of between $5.2 billion and $5.6 billion for the 2023-2026 cycle, the plan would increase allocations to FIFAs 211 member associations to as much as $25 million each.Confederations, regional and zonal associations, and other stakeholders are also expected to benefit from increased funding, with allocations aligned with the development of womens and youth football, long-term projects and football infrastructure.FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the proposed increase reflected the organisations commitment to ensuring that the financial success of the World Cup benefits football development worldwide.As has been said many times since 2016, FIFAs money, including its reserves, belongs to the 211 FIFA Member Associations, and the proposal to increase investment across all FIFA Member Associations, confederations and other stakeholders to USD 6.35 billion aims to reinforce our unwavering commitment to further supporting football development and access globally thanks to the outstanding financial result of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Infantino said.The proposal will undergo further consideration by relevant FIFA committees and the Council before being included in the organisations 2026 Annual Report. It will then be submitted for approval at the 77th FIFA Congress in March 2027.The meeting also addressed the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which had attracted criticism from stakeholders in recent months. Infantino apologised for mistakes in how the project was handled and communicated, reaffirming that the initiative had been permanently withdrawn and would not return in any form.The FIFA Council also agreed to establish a working group comprising representatives from the confederations to examine the organisations governance framework. FIFAs Football Social Responsibility Committee was tasked with assessing the FIFA Peace Prize, with a decision expected at the next Council meeting in December 2026.Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reportedly backed Infantino for another term as FIFA president, amid reported pressure from other confederations, including Europe. The Council statement, however, did not announce any decision on the FIFA presidency.FIFA also announced a review of its disciplinary procedures following the decision to suspend for a year the one-match ban imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun after his sending-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup.



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