February 26, 2026, marks Gianni Infantino's 10th anniversary as President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). To commemorate this milestone, he sent a message of gratitude to the presidents of all 211 FIFA member associations, thanking them for their support and contribution to transforming the governance of world football.
In his letter, Infantino highlighted 11 key achievements since his election at the extraordinary congress in Zurich, Switzerland, on February 26, 2016. "I believe we have successfully brought football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football. And we have done so together," he stated. He recalled that upon his arrival, FIFA faced a crisis that threatened its very existence, and that his election marked the beginning of a new era focused on reform, transparency, and development.
Among the notable achievements, Infantino highlighted the FIFA Forward program, which has significantly increased direct funding to member associations. This program was launched in 2016 with the promise to support the development of football in all member countries. In 2023, a report revealed that nearly $2.8 billion had been made available to member associations, confederations, and regional associations, funding more than 1,600 long-term projects. The FIFA Forward program is designed to provide tailor-made support to each member association and confederation, with an emphasis on investment, impact, and oversight.
The FIFA Forward 3.0 program, approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022, provides for an investment of $9.7 billion in football for the 2023-2026 cycle, a 30% increase. Each member association can receive up to $8 million during this period, part of which is earmarked for current operations and specific projects. Confederations also receive annual funding to support their activities.
Infantino also emphasized the importance of expanding international competitions, such as the FIFA World Cup expanded to 48 teams, giving more nations the opportunity to participate on the world stage. He also mentioned the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system and other technological innovations to improve the fairness and transparency of the game. The emphasis on the development of women's football has been another key point, with a significant increase in prizes and investments in development projects.
In addition to funding, FIFA has put in place capacity-building initiatives in the areas of administration, governance, and talent development. FIFA Executive Summits and new standing committees have been created to involve member associations further in decision-making.
Despite controversies and criticisms, Infantino's term has been marked by financial growth and global expansion of football. FIFA has posted record revenues and rebuilt its reserves, while expanding its commercial partnerships.
"Thank you for keeping the best interests of football at heart and recognising that, even though we live in a world marked by division and conflict, football remains the great power that unites us all," Infantino concluded.
