The FIFA Foundation has announced that it will be supporting 130 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in running their football-related social development projects across 54 countries around the world in 2024 under the umbrella of the FIFA Foundation Community Programme. These impressive figures represent a significant increase, with 16 more organisations being supported than in 2023 and 40% more than when the foundation was established in 2018. Notably, in 2024, the FIFA Foundation Community Programme will be reaching six new countries: Cyprus, Italy, Japan, Panama, Somalia and Switzerland. The funded projects use football to benefit Indigenous peoples, migrants, people with disabilities, members of national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people, among other vulnerable groups. Established in March 2018 with the aim of helping NGOs globally to harness the unique power of football to effect social change, the FIFA Foundation Community Programme is aligned with FIFA’s strategic objective of focusing on social responsibilities – as detailed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at last year’s FIFA Congress – as well as with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. “We are delighted to once again be able to announce the list of successful applicants for grants under the FIFA Foundation Community Programme,” said FIFA Foundation Executive Chairman Mauricio Macri. “Though a separate entity to FIFA, we adhere closely to the principles set out by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and pursue with just as much determination and enthusiasm as he does the goal of making the world a better place through football. We have already seen the good that can be done via the FIFA Foundation Community Programme and I’m sure that even more great work will be achieved by the NGOs that it will support in 2024.” Participating NGOs are selected each year based on a series of proposed project suitability metrics and following a rigorous financial and compliance assessment. Each successful organisation is eligible for funding of up to USD 30,000 – to be invested in football-related projects and initiatives within local communities. A record number of organisations will benefit from the programme in 2024. In 2023, the 114 grant recipients delivered wide-ranging projects focused on the likes of refugee integration, gender equality, and improving educational and employment opportunities for underprivileged children and young people in their communities. To guarantee a more universal reach and ensure that each potential recipient had all the necessary information and tools, the FIFA Foundation ran a series of workshops in several languages to help steer NGOs through the application process for 2024. The workshops included general introductions to the programme, sessions on how to accurately complete the financial assessment and also a deep dive into the critical element of being able to establish – and demonstrate the implementation of – a successful safeguarding framework. Click here to see the full list of 2024 FIFA Foundation Community Programme beneficiaries.