The 211 member associations receive financial and logistical support from FIFA through various programs. We take a look at the extraordinary work that FIFA member associations have done in recent weeks to promote, strengthen, and make football truly global.

Dragon Park in Newport was host to an illustrious ceremony as the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) celebrated the opening of the first FIFA Talent Academy in Europe.

The event was attended by representatives from FIFA, FAW stakeholders and media, while players from the academy programme took to the field for a football festival.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered a video message to those in attendance and reflected on the strides made by Wales in recent years with the men’s team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2022™ and the women’s team reaching the UEFA European Championship finals this summer.

“This fantastic project, which is the brainchild of FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, will help identify, nurture and develop local talent, providing a pathway for boys and girls to shine, both regionally and globally,” explained Infantino.

“We want football to continue contributing to society, fostering social and personal growth and developing well-rounded individuals by instilling values such as discipline, teamwork and leadership. I am sure that our collaboration will mean Welsh football will soon see more fantastic landmarks, including appearances in more global FIFA events.”

FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development, Steven Martens, was also at Dragon Park as he explained the philosophy behind the initiative. “It’s really important for us to support each and every association,” he said.

“We are there for every association, but even more specifically for associations that are ambitious and have the ability to take what we offer and maximise it. There is a lot of experience already in the FAW, but with some additional international expertise, they can take it to the next level.”

The Georgian Football Federation inaugurated the Avaza technical center located in Digomi on 21 August with FIFA Forward 3.0 contributing to its funding. The complex features a new standard-size pitch with stands and lighting, a mini pitch with stands and lighting, and an administration building with changing rooms. During the opening ceremony, the president of the Georgian Football Federation (GFF), Levan Kobiaschwili, the Georgian prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Georgian president, Micheil Kawelaschwili, the mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, and the sports minister, Shalva Gogoladze, addressed the guests. Also in attendance were Marco Ferri, Regional Coordinator for FIFA Member Associations, and Thierry Favre, Deputy Director of UEFA National Associations.

"The complex now includes a new standard field with stands and lighting, a mini field with stands and lighting, and a locker room building. Local children’s football schools and girls’ teams will be able to use the new infrastructure free of charge,” said Tbilisi Kaladze.

Safe Sport Day was celebrated around the globe this month with the Oceania Football Confederation reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding in football and futsal.

“I see it as my responsibility as a governor within the game, both at the OFC table and at the FIFA table, to role model being open to learning," said Dr Johanna Wood, New Zealand Football President and one of the first FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Football Diploma graduates.

“For the 11 MAs across the Pacific and Oceania, it’s really, really important that we put a focus on safeguarding. We know that the statistics are not great for this region. And one way that we can address that is by looking at safeguarding and what are the things that we can put in place to make it safer for everyone to enjoy football.” 

There have been three graduates of the FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Football Diploma from the OFC region, including Wood and Uhatahi Tu’amoheloa, as well as Margaret Nimmo of New Zealand Football. Another eight safeguarding leaders from around the region are currently enrolled on the two-year programme, and are due to graduate next year. 

Match officials for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025™ which takes place from 17 October to 8 November has been announced by the FIFA Referees Committee. A total of 54 match officials (18 referees and 36 assistant referees) from 36 FIFA Member Associations (MA) are set to take charge of the matches.

“It is always exciting for me when announcements such as this one are made, but this one is even more special than normal. This year’s tournament is the first of the annual competitions to be played in Morocco over the next five years, and the first edition with 24 participating teams,” said the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina.

The FIFA Referees Committee has also announced the match officials who will oversee games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™, which will take place from 27 September to 19 October. A total of 54 match officials (18 referees and 36 assistant referees) from 22 FIFA Member Associations are set to take charge of the matches. "From a refereeing perspective, it’s very important that the officials have the opportunity to be involved at a tournament featuring the stars of tomorrow and for us to carry out further testing of Football Video Support (FVS), which has been a great success so far,” said Collina.

From August 23 to 30, 2025, the 20th Homeless World Cup took place in Oslo, Norway. The Homeless World Cup was founded in 2003 by Harald Peter Schmied from Graz and Mel Young from Scotland and was held for the first time in Graz. More than 500 players from 48 nations came together to send a strong message of solidarity through sport.

Under the guidance of FIFA instructor Felix Tangawarima and FIFA fitness instructor Nasreddine Cherifi (Algeria), Zimbabwe's elite referees took part in a five-day refereeing course running from August 18th to August 22nd. During this intensive workshop, the referees were equipped with modern tools to perform at the highest level on a continental and global scale, but they were also put through their paces physically and mentally. Physical condition and fitness are important pillars of modern refereeing, enabling referees to keep up with the intensity of the game.

The FIFA Technical Leadership Team is committed to providing all technical leaders with comprehensive access to its leadership development offerings. A five-day introductory workshop on “Technical Leadership at FIFA” concluded in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in August. The workshop, which began with an online preparatory session in July, was attended by representatives from Ethiopia, Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Libya, Tunisia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Mali, and Liberia.

The main objectives of the workshop included defining the roles and priorities of technical directors within a member association, strengthening cooperation between technical directors and general secretaries, improving communication with internal and external stakeholders, deepening knowledge of FIFA's global structure and football development programs, and developing strategies for financing, cross-departmental cooperation, and effective leadership.

The FIFA MA Elite Refereeing Course in Eswatini took place between Monday, 4 August and Friday 8 August, at the EFA Technical Centre in Lobamba, marking a significant milestone in Eswatini’s ongoing commitment to referees development and football excellence.

The programme was inaugurated by Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President, Peter Simelane. In his opening address, he welcomed participants and encouraged them to seize the opportunity to learn from world-class experts. The course was led by FIFA Refereeing Instructors Paulo Marques and Mark Mzengo who advised on strategies to enhance the knowledge, techniques, and decision-making skills of Eswatini’s elite referees in preparation for the upcoming football season.

“We are very honoured to be back in Eswatini,” said Paulo Marques, speaking on behalf of the FIFA Instructors. “It’s a pleasure to work with a country that prioritizes refereeing development. FIFA is always ready to support growth, but it takes initiative from the football association; and the EFA has demonstrated outstanding leadership by making this request.”