July 11 – FIFA have completed a workshop in Dubai for member associations from central and south Asia in a further rollout of their 3.0 Forward Progamme.
After the World Cup, FIFA launched the new programme in January, swiftly followed by workshops in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, and in the latest session, member associations from central and south Asia were briefed in Dubai.
In the previous two iterations of the programme, FIFA distributed a total of $2.8 billion to its member federations. But the world governing body has promised to distribute more money than ever in the new cycle with up to $2.25 billion available, a seven-fold increase in football development investment FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly claimed.
In a statement, Chencho Norbu of the Bhutan FF said: “Coming to this workshop allows us to have an opportunity to interact and share the realities of our country with other member associations, and we can learn from each other’s experiences and take the positives back to support players, coaches, and referees domestically. This opportunity is not only from member associations in South Asia but also from our neighbouring regions, such as Central Asia as well.”
With cash reserves now increased to $4 billion and a budgeted revenue of $11 billion for the cycle through to World Cup 2026, FIFA are in a very comfortable position financially. Members can apply for up to $5 million to cover operational costs in relation to football activities and up to $3 million “to execute well-planned, specific football projects that contribute to the achievement of long-term football development objectives”.
FIFA can also provide the neediest associations with up to $1.2 million “to cover the costs of travel and accommodation for their national teams as well as football equipment.” Each confederation is entitled to $60 million.
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