The FIFA Council has made several important decisions in preparation for the upcoming 74th FIFA Congress, including a unified stand against racism in football and significant investments in football development. The council has unanimously approved the Annual Report 2023, highlighting a record investment of USD 2.25 billion in football development for the 2023-2026 cycle under the FIFA Forward 3.0 Program. This amount represents an almost sevenfold increase compared to the development programs prior to 2016.
The Annual Report, endorsed by the FIFA Governance, Audit, and Compliance Committee and the FIFA Finance Committee, will be distributed to all 211 member associations and submitted for final approval at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok on May 17. FIFA President Gianni Infantino made clear the importance of solid financial governance in exceeding the budgetary target of USD 11 billion for the 2023-2026 cycle, which will enhance services for member associations and support their development and education projects.
The 74th FIFA Congress will also address racism in football, following the FIFA President’s call for stricter measures and increased commitment from all involved in global football. The Congress will include an agenda item to tackle this issue comprehensively. Additionally, the voting procedure for the host(s) of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ was confirmed, with bids from Brazil, a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and a joint bid from Mexico and the United States under consideration.
In a commitment to youth football, the FIFA Council confirmed that the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ will be held annually in Qatar starting in 2025. The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ is expanded to 24 teams and will be hosted annually by Morocco until 2029.
Meanwhile, the mandate of the Normalization Committee for the Pakistan Football Federation has also been extended until December 15, 2024, to allow for the completion of the existing mandate and the electoral process. (NNT)
