FIFA provides financial and logistical support to its 211 Member Associations (MAs) through various programmes. We take a look at the extraordinary work that has been done in recent weeks to promote, strengthen, and make football truly global.

With the support of CONMEBOL, FIFA held an “Emergency Medicine – Advanced Level” course in Asunción. This training course for medical professionals in football aims to improve medical care in critical situations on and off the pitch.

During the two-day event, the specialists received theoretical and practical training on how to deal with medical emergencies in football. The focus was on immediate care on the field, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the use of an automated external defibrillator, and protocols for rapid response in critical situations, such as traumatic brain injury.

On November 5, a mini football field was inaugurated in the city of Meknes as part of the FIFA Arena programme. This makes the North African country the fourth on the continent to join the pilot programme and take another step toward developing football.

The construction of this pitch is part of a FIFA pilot programme launched in January 2025 to promote integration through football. The goal is to build mini-pitches around the world, giving priority to children and young people from rural or disadvantaged areas. By 2031, 1,000 pitches are to be built to nurture thousands of future football talents.

“Children from the city of Meknes, both boys and girls, can now use this facility to play football, stay active, and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA Director of Member Associations. Morocco is the fourth African country after Algeria, Liberia, and Niger and the twelfth worldwide to benefit from the project.

For the first time since 2011, Austrian referee Sebastian Gishamer has been nominated for the UEFA Champions League. "The nomination confirms that the ÖFB's focus on refereeing in recent years has been the right one. The ÖFB has invested heavily in restructuring, changes, and also in personnel and financial resources. These investments have now paid off on a new level, as demonstrated by this Champions League nomination. The strategy of positioning Austrian refereeing well at European level has been a complete success," said Ali Hofmann, Head of Refereeing at the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB).

"When young referees perform well and continue to develop, they can rest assured that we at the ÖFB will do everything we can to help them achieve their goals. This Champions League nomination is confirmation of that. We do everything in our power to provide the best possible support to our referees who are motivated, fully committed, and give 120 percent so that they can achieve success."

The Czech Football Association (FAČR), in cooperation with the World Football Association, is bringing the global “FIFA Arena” project to Czechia. The aim of the project is to build public mini-pitch football fields to motivate children to exercise and play sports more. The first pitch of this kind was opened in Mladá Boleslav, and another will soon follow in Český Těšín. A total of 100 such pitches are to be built in the Czech Republic as part of the “FIFA Arena” project in the foreseeable future. The new sports facility will reach more than 1,500 children from the region. These include not only young soccer players, but also children and students from neighbouring kindergartens, elementary and middle schools, as well as the general public.

"Our long-term goal is to bring football back into schools and motivate children to exercise regularly. Thanks to the FIFA Arena project, we have the opportunity to create 100 mini soccer fields for the general public throughout the Czech Republic," said David Trunda, President of the Czech Football Association. "Their purpose is to get children out of their homes and onto the sports fields, inspiring them to lead an active lifestyle. We are convinced that sport not only promotes the development of motor skills, but also strengthens team spirit, a sense of responsibility, and the joy of overcoming one's own limits. We want football to be easily accessible to children and to become a natural part of their everyday lives."

In November, the El Salvador Soccer Federation (Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol, FESFUT) hosted the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), during which participating coaches explored various physical, technical-tactical, strategic, and psychological aspects of the game. Under the guidance of instructors Eduardo Lara, José Silva, and Pablo Rodas, who brought their experience and dedication to each session, the coaches of the Talent Development System (TDS) were trained to strengthen the technical and tactical foundations of young footballers who want to continue improving as part of the development process.

The TDS is an important part of FIFA's strategic objectives for world football for the period 2023-2027. It was created with the aim of giving all talented girls and boys around the world, regardless of their financial or geographical situation, access to a professional football career. This also gives member associations the opportunity to significantly strengthen their national teams.

A trio of New Zealand referees received the call up to the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar with CK Kawana-Waugh and assistant referees Isaac Trevis and Ed Cook representing Oceania. It is Cook's first FIFA tournament while Kawana-Waugh is making his fifth appearance at a FIFA competition and Trevis his third. Collectively, they have nearly 50 years of National League experience; Kawana-Waugh kicked off his senior career in 2009, Trevis in 2006, and Cook in 2010.

“Our focus is on building consistent performances, drawing on the development and learnings from previous tournaments and seminars,” says Kawana-Waugh. “Having attended past FIFA tournaments is a real advantage - the Arab Cup involves around 30 days in the tournament environment and daily routines can become repetitive. Therefore understanding how to manage ourselves through the challenges of day to day tournament life is important.”

The Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) has continued its journey through the 32 states of the republic to implement the FIFA Football for Schools programme. During its most recent stop in Saltillo, Coahuila, the initiative distributed 3,000 balls to 150 public schools in the region. This campaign is the result of close cooperation between the FMF, FIFA, and the Ministry of Education (SEP), which share the common goal of integrating sport into education. Thanks to this donation, thousands of children and young people will have access to resources that promote not only physical activity but also holistic development and values within the school environment.

The SFA hosted a Breast Health Workshop for players, coaches, and referees over the age of 16 at Hampden, Scotland's national stadium. The workshop educated participants about breast health and the impact of proper breast support on athletic movement, even featuring a personalised bra fitting to help young players find the right support to improve comfort, performance, and long-term health.

Scottish FA Head of Girls’ and Women’s Football, Shirley Martin, said: “It’s great to be able to deliver events like this, which are aimed at supporting young athletes, coaches, and referees on the issues that have potentially been considered taboo in the past.

"We all know breast support is essential, but do we really understand the impact that ill-fitting sports bras can have on performance?"