The UAE Football Association has voiced its full support for FIFA’s choice to abandon the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, a statement from the UAEFA said on Thursday. The decision emerged from discussions at the 74th FIFA Congress, where delegates expressed reservations about shifting certain development activities into a separate commercial entity. According to the UAEFA, the move safeguards the core principles of solidarity and equitable distribution that have guided FIFA’s flagship Forward programme since its launch in 2016.
FIFA data shows the Forward programme has allocated more than $2.4 billion to member associations for infrastructure, grassroots initiatives and technical development between 2016 and 2025. The UAEFA statement noted that continued focus on these direct funding channels would better serve associations of all sizes across Asia and beyond. In an announcement carried by the Emirates News Agency, the UAEFA described the outcome as a positive step that places the interests of the global football family first.
Several other Asian football bodies had similarly welcomed the decision in statements released this week, a pattern that reflects broader consultation among confederations ahead of the Congress vote. The Asian Football Confederation, which includes the UAEFA as a key member, had previously emphasised the need to maintain transparent allocation mechanisms, according to confederation briefings. UAEFA officials told local media that the association had participated actively in pre-Congress working groups examining the proposal’s governance implications.
Under the original concept, FIFA Forward Enterprise would have operated as an independent vehicle to manage commercial partnerships tied to development funding. The UAEFA statement highlighted that rejecting this structure avoids potential conflicts between commercial objectives and football’s not-for-profit ethos. A FIFA assessment circulated before the Congress had itself acknowledged mixed feedback from member nations on the enterprise model.
The UAEFA has been a consistent beneficiary of FIFA Forward funding, using grants to upgrade training centres and youth academies across the Emirates. Figures from the UAEFA annual report place total receipts from the programme at approximately $8 million since 2018, supporting projects that reached more than 50,000 young players. The association said it remains committed to collaborating with FIFA on future development phases that retain direct oversight by the world governing body.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the Congress that the decision followed extensive dialogue and that the organisation would now explore alternative ways to expand development impact. The UAEFA welcomed this approach, stating it looked forward to contributing ideas for the next cycle of the Forward programme scheduled to begin in 2026. Regional football leaders have described the episode as an example of effective consultation between FIFA and its 211 member associations.
