FIFA President Gianni Infantino has praised the upward trajectory of football development in Mongolia following a meeting with the new Mongolian Football Federation (MFF) President Anandbazar Tsogt-Ochir at the third session of the FIFA Executive Football Summits 2025 in Miami, United States. In recent years, Mongolia has been a striking example of how FIFA’s support to advance football through FIFA Forward can be used. In addition to the construction of all-weather pitches and multipurpose training facilities, and the implementation of new player and coach development projects, the FIFA-funded Air Dome has played a key role in the MFF’s long-term vision for sustained growth. The innovative structure, which opened in April 2023, provides Mongolian footballers with a safe and warm environment in which to enjoy the beautiful game year-round in a country where winter temperatures can reach as low as -45 degrees centigrade from November to March. The Mongolia men’s national team also took part in their first FIFA Series™ in 2024, competing in international friendlies against Azerbaijan and Tanzania in another significant milestone for football development in the largest landlocked nation in the world. “The pace of football development progress in Mongolia is breathtaking, and I was delighted to have the chance to meet the new Mongolian Football Federation President, Anandbazar Tsogt-Ochir, in Miami,” Mr Infantino said “I heard about his plans for the future, and was also pleased to note his positive feedback about Mongolia's participation in the FIFA Series. “The unique challenges of playing our game in Mongolia have been met with intelligence and determination, notably with the construction of an Air Dome covering the National Team Training Centre, thanks to FIFA Forward funds. With the FIFA Football for Schools initiative and the FIFA Talent Development Scheme already well established in the country, I am confident President Tsogt-Ochi will guide Mongolian football towards a bright future.”

Mr Tsogt-Ochir, who was elected in April 2025, further emphasised the importance of FIFA’s continued contributions in terms of grassroots access to and development of football in Mongolia and the potential ripple effect across all levels of the sport. “It’s complicated, developing the Mongolian future infrastructure, because Mongolia is one of the biggest countries [in] the world. This means we need more infrastructure which is for the successful future development of football,” he explained. “Mongolian people [are] very educated and talented people and I want to develop teenagers, women, and the national team, now the best-ranked Mongolian team [at] 188th [in the FIFA rankings]. My dream is to break into the top 100.” To that end, Mr Tsogt-Ochir revealed that there are plans to build another air dome with FIFA Forward support.