NFF, Others To Receive $20m Each Under New FIFA Funding Proposal
FIFA has proposed a new funding package that could provide up to $20 million to each of its 211 member associations, including the Nigeria Football Federation, as part of plans to increase investment in global football development.
The proposal, announced by FIFA on Tuesday, includes an optional one-off $20 million funding through the proposed FIFA Fast Forward Programme (FFFP) for special projects, as well as increased regular development allocations under the FIFA Forward programme.
Under the plan, member associations would receive $20 million each for the 2027-2030 cycle, up from the current $8 million allocation.
The funding would rise to $22 million per association for 2031-2034 and $24 million for 2035-2038.
However, the governing body would in return retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions.
The body will also, under the plan, sell a minority stake in its commercial operations to private investors, a clause widely criticised, particularly by UEFA.
But FIFA said the increased funding would support football infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football and women’s football development.
The statement read, “If approved, football development in every corner of the world would benefit immediately from increased funding available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations (MAs): (i) An optional USD 20 million per MA in exceptional and immediate funding for special projects from the new FIFA Fast Forward Programme (FFFP), (ii) USD 20 million per MA in Forward funding for 2027-2030 (currently budgeted USD 8 million), (iii) USD 22 million per MA in Forward funding for 2031-2034, and (iv) USD 24 million per MA in Forward funding for 2035-2038.
“This would be achieved via FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new FIFA-owned and controlled subsidiary consolidating FIFA’s commercial and event operations; FIFA would retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions.
“FFE would raise up to USD 4.2 billion later this year to fund FFFP, based on an initial equity valuation of USD 20 billion by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests in FFE.”
The world football governing body said all net benefits generated by FFE would be reinvested into football development worldwide.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the move was aimed at ensuring that the commercial growth of football benefits all member associations.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development,” Infantino said.
“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game. Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”
He added that every member association should have the opportunity to access funding and determine its own development path.
“Every FIFA Member Association should have an opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own future, deciding for itself rather than relying on others. This is about the democratisation of football worldwide,” he said.
FIFA said the proposal would only proceed after approval from a majority of its member associations and the FIFA Council, in line with its governance processes.
The organisation said the planned investment could bring its total development funding commitment to more than $10 billion over the next four years, making it the largest such commitment by a sports organisation.
FIFA added that the proposed changes followed the success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where increased development support helped countries such as Cabo Verde and Curaçao qualify for the tournament for the first time.
The governing body said the FIFA Fast Forward Programme would allow member associations to access additional capital for projects such as stadiums, national training centres and other long-term football infrastructure.
