On July 28, Beijing time, FIFA officially announced the establishment of a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which aims to integrate FIFA's commercial and event operations, with an initial equity valuation of US$20 billion.
FIFA official announcement
If the plan is approved, football development in every corner of the world will immediately benefit. Funding for all FIFA's 211 member associations will increase significantly, including:
I. Each member association may choose to apply for a one-time emergency grant of up to US$20 million for special projects through the new FIFA Fast Forward Programme (FFFP);
Second, each member association will receive $20 million in FIFA Forward development funds during the 2027-2030 cycle, with the current budget at $8 million.
Third, each member association will receive US$22 million during the 2031-2034 cycle;
IV. Each member association will receive $24 million during the 2035-2038 cycle.
This goal will be achieved through the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The FFE will become a new subsidiary owned and controlled by FIFA, integrating FIFA's commercial operations and tournament management. FIFA will retain sole control over the FFE and will continue to have exclusive decision-making power over football governance, tournaments, the calendar, and all regulatory and sporting matters.
FFE plans to raise up to $4.2 billion later this year to support FFFP. This funding will be based on an initial equity valuation of $20 billion, through the careful selection of long-term investors who will purchase a minority, non-controlling stake in FFE. All net proceeds generated by FFE will be reinvested in world football.
FIFA will fully adhere to its principles of democratic decision-making and governance. The formal launch of this new structure depends on the support of a majority of FIFA member associations and the relevant approval from the FIFA Council.
In accordance with its responsibilities, FIFA's management is exploring a plan to integrate FIFA's commercial rights, covering areas such as broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing, with the specific operations of FIFA events through the establishment of the FFE.
FIFA has initiated consultations after receiving a proposal that aims to fully unlock the potential of broadcasting and sponsorship rights for all FIFA events, covering men's, women's, and youth football.
One of the core components of this plan is the repositioning of FIFA's flagship development program, the "FIFA Forward Program." This program proposes to increase the funding each member association receives in the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million, with a continued steady increase in each subsequent cycle. This funding will support infrastructure development, coach training, national teams, competitions, grassroots football, and women's football.
On the eve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the FIFA Council and member associations in New York, reiterating his desire to "unleash the commercial potential and opportunities available to FIFA." He had also articulated this position at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, in April 2026.
Gianni Infantino stated, "Football is the world's most popular sport and an extraordinary driving force for human and social development. Part of football has already translated this popularity into enormous commercial value. We are delighted with this success and hope it will continue, as it will drive the development of the entire sport."
"Our responsibility is to ensure that other parts of football can grow as well. FIFA exists to support sustainable and inclusive development in every corner of the world."
"As the global governing body for football, FIFA has a responsibility to ensure that football reaches every corner of the world and that the value it creates supports football associations and communities everywhere. Our next phase of development requires a structure that is compatible with this. In this structure, the commercial aspects of football will operate as a focused and independent business, and the value it creates will be shared more broadly and equitably on a global scale."
“Every FIFA member association should have the opportunity to fight for a fair share of development funding to shape its own future. They should be able to make their own decisions, rather than relying on others. This is about the democratization of world football.”
“We plan to make large-scale investments in the smallest and most geographically remote areas of the football world, as these places have often been overlooked in the past. Regardless of size, resources, or location, every FIFA member association will have a voice and the opportunity to determine its own development path. Football has become a truly global sport, and therefore, its benefits must also benefit the world.”
In recent years, many large sports organizations, including continental and national football governing bodies and professional leagues, have restructured their business operations in a similar manner. They all pursue the same long-term goal: to achieve sustainable growth and reinvest the profits back into sports itself.
Together with FIFA's other existing programs, these investments could bring FIFA's total planned investment in football development over the next four years to over $10 billion. This would be the largest investment of its kind ever made by any sports organization.
This plan aims to expand opportunities for participation in football, strengthen global football infrastructure, increase opportunities for football development, and ensure that every member association can share in the benefits of the sport's growth. FIFA will use this investment equally in every country, regardless of its size, wealth, or geographic location, ensuring that all parties benefit.
This process will be initiated after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most successful tournament in football history. The energy generated throughout the tournament is precisely what this consultation process aims to continue and amplify.
This energy also translated into extraordinary data: nearly 16 million fans entered stadiums and fan carnivals, and billions more watched the games through new channels and innovative content formats worldwide.
As part of the FFE program, FIFA will establish the FIFA Fast Forward Program (FFFP). This is a voluntary participation mechanism that allows member associations to access additional development funds.
This plan will create new opportunities for stadiums, national training centers, and other long-term infrastructure projects. The investment required for these projects may exceed what a single development cycle can sustain.
FIFA will offer all 211 member associations the opportunity to participate in the FFFP, with each association eligible for a one-time grant of up to $20 million. Participation is entirely voluntary for each member association, and no association will be required to join.
This additional funding will be obtained through the initial capital raising of the FFE program, with a maximum size of $4.2 billion and an implied valuation of $20 billion. Any net proceeds generated by the FFE will be reinvested entirely in football.
Similar to other sports governing bodies with dedicated commercial subsidiaries, FIFA will invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments in FFE.
All investors will be screened according to clearly defined long-term, governance, and strategic criteria. The investor base will be geographically diverse to reflect the global nature of football.
These investors will serve as long-term partners with minority stakes, providing funding and business expertise to FIFA's mission to advance global football. FIFA will maintain sole control over the FFE by retaining a majority seat on the board and retain exclusive decision-making power over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting matters.
FIFA can usually decide on its own to establish subsidiaries for specific projects, but given the strategic importance of this project, FIFA is currently communicating with its member associations and the FIFA Council.
According to FIFA's democratic decision-making process, the FIFA management will only launch this new structure after a majority of member associations decide to support the project and the FIFA Council approves the necessary rule adjustments.
Subject to a final agreement and the acquisition of necessary approvals, Thrive Eternal, a subsidiary of Perpetual Capital Holdings, is expected to lead the formation of the proposed investor group for FFE.
BANN Ventures CEO Greg Mafie previously served as president and CEO of Liberty Media during its acquisition and ownership of Formula One. He has been a key business advisor to the project and will continue to be involved in the next phase of FFE's development.
As part of this process, FIFA has engaged JPMorgan Chase to assist with the work. Other advisors, such as OpenEconomics, are also in talks with potential long-term investors.
The program's focus is on building a geographically diverse investor community to reflect the global nature of FIFA and football. To date, investors from all major regions of the world have expressed interest, including Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa.
The FIFA president and FIFA management are responsible for overseeing the development of this project. External investors will only hold minority stakes in the FFE and will not participate in any operational work.
Meanwhile, the investors are investing in a FIFA subsidiary, not FIFA itself. For FIFA, nothing changes.
