FIFA reaffirms commitment to transparency, competition expansion

ZURICH, 27th February, 2026 (WAM) — On the 10th anniversary of his election as FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has written to the presidents of each of the 211 FIFA Member Associations (MAs), thanking them for their support and for helping FIFA transform the governance of the world’s most popular sport.

Listing 11 key achievements since he was elected at the Extraordinary Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, on 26th February 2016, Infantino said, “I believe we have successfully brought football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football. And we have done so together.”

Infantino recalled that when he was elected, FIFA faced a crisis that threatened its very existence and that, by voting for him, the FIFA Congress chose to chart a new path forward “built on reform, transparency and development”.

He emphasised that unity between FIFA and the MAs had been a key to football’s transformation. “It is therefore with a great sense of unity that I would like to extend my deepest thanks for your work, your dedication and, of course, your unwavering support in making this possible and for your role in bringing FIFA back to football over the last 10 years,” the FIFA President said.

Among the key measures highlighted was the FIFA Forward Programme, launched in 2016, which increased development funding to MAs sevenfold and allows them to direct investment locally.

FIFA also expanded youth development through its Talent Development Scheme, which aims to provide young players worldwide with access to structured pathways, regardless of their financial background. Administrative capacity-building programmes have covered areas including legal, finance, infrastructure, medical, IT, safeguarding and security.

More involvement in decision-making by FIFA Member Associations, who gather in open forums, known as the FIFA Executive Summits, to share and discuss ideas about the future of the game, together with the newly introduced FIFA Standing Committees

More fairness on the field for FIFA Member Associations thanks to the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in 2018, now implemented in 83 MAs. FIFA has sought to further democratise these benefits firstly through the development of VAR Light and, more recently, through the introduction of Football Video Support.

In addition, in 2024, FIFA took a Global Stand Against Racism, with the unanimous support of all 211 FIFA MAs.

FIFA also provided more playing opportunities for men’s national teams with the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams, giving more nations the chance to dream of playing on the global stage and the introduction of the FIFA Series, which, in 2026, will feature 36 teams from six continents.

Similarly, there are more women’s national team opportunities for FIFA Member Associations with the FIFA Women’s World Cup expanded to 32 teams for the 2023 edition and 48 teams from 2031 onwards. Over 1,700 women’s development projects have been delivered across 204 FIFA MAs.

It also created more youth national team opportunities for FIFA Member Associations, creating clearer pathways from grassroots football to elite performance. Additionally, the expansion of the FIFA U-17 World Cup – at both girls’ and boys’ levels – has exposed many more players to international competition at a much younger age.

Meanwhile, thousands of young lives will be transformed by the introduction of a new festival-style FIFA U-15 Youth World Cup open to all 211 FIFA MAs.

FIFA also introduced financial support mechanisms, including a US$1.5 billion COVID-19 Relief Plan and disaster relief funding through the FIFA Foundation. In December 2025, the FIFA Council approved a post-conflict recovery fund to assist associations affected by war.

In club football, FIFA staged its first expanded Club World Cup in 2025 and plans to launch a Women’s Club World Cup in 2028, plus the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, respectively.

FIFA has also increased the distribution and widened the scope of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme.