FIFA invests over $1 billion in African football development – FIFA President Gianni Infantino

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a significant milestone in African football development, revealing that over $1 billion has been invested in the continent through the FIFA Forward Programme since its inception in 2016.

Speaking at the 47th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Infantino highlighted the programme’s impact on African football.

The FIFA Forward Programme was launched in 2016 to support the world football governing body’s 211 member associations and confederations by funding infrastructure projects, competitions, and operational costs.

The programme has invested a total of $1.06 billion in the Confederation of African Football (CAF), African zonal/regional associations, and the continent’s 54 member associations.

Investing in African Football’s Future
FIFA’s investment in African football has yielded impressive results, including:

– Increased Representation: Nine African teams will participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, while 10 teams will play at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 and five at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025 in Morocco.

– FIFA Club World Cup: Four African teams, Al Ahly FC, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns FC, and Wydad AC, participated in the FIFA Club World Cup, gaining valuable experience and exposure on a global stage.
– Talent Development: FIFA plans to open 20-30 FIFA Academies by 2027 as part of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, aiming to identify and nurture young talent across the continent.

Infantino emphasized football’s responsibility to give hope and dreams to African children, saying, “Not all of us have this talent and can make it, but all of us here in this room, we have the responsibility and the duty to work and to work hard, to give dreams, to give chances, and to give hope to all the children of Africa.”

CAF President Patrice Motsepe thanked FIFA for organizing the FIFA Club World Cup, praising the event’s success and expressing confidence that African teams will perform even better in the future.

A Bright Future for African Football
With FIFA’s continued support and investment, African football is poised for a bright future. As Infantino concluded, “I’m asking you all, as always, to be united, to continue to unite Africa, to continue to unite African football, because like this we will have a strong voice, all over the world, for a very, very bright future.”