As the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, FIFA and Global Citizen are turning part of football’s global momentum into a long-term investment in children’s futures.
The two organisations have officially announced the first group of recipients from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a landmark initiative aiming to raise more than $100 million by the time the FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches its final whistle. The fund was created to expand access to quality education and sport for children living in underserved communities around the world, with football positioned as both a learning tool and a bridge to opportunity.
In this first round, 27 grassroots organisations across 10 countries have been selected to receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. Several African nonprofits are among the inaugural recipients, highlighting the continent’s growing role in community-led solutions around education, inclusion, youth empowerment, and social development.
Among the organisations selected is the Antonio Rudiger Foundation in Sierra Leone, founded by the Real Madrid and Germany defender. The foundation combines football initiatives with education, health support, and infrastructure development to help young people overcome barriers linked to poverty and inequality.
In Rwanda, Autisme Rwanda was recognised for its work supporting children with autism and their families through therapy, advocacy, and inclusive education programmes designed to improve quality of life and social inclusion.
South Africa saw multiple organisations included in the first cohort. Eduplex NPC was selected for its efforts integrating deaf and hearing students through auditory-verbal therapy and technology-assisted learning, while Eland School continues preserving Khomani San culture through education rooted in indigenous language and community traditions. Knysna Education Trust was also recognised for its work in early childhood development within marginalised communities. Skateistan South Africa, known internationally for blending skateboarding with creative education, was selected for helping young people, particularly girls, build confidence, resilience, and social skills through alternative learning spaces.
Ethiopia’s Emmanuel Development Association also joined the list of inaugural grantees for its work focused on education, child protection, healthcare, and economic empowerment in vulnerable communities.
According to Global Citizen and FIFA, the organisations selected collectively impact tens of thousands of children worldwide, many operating in regions where poverty rates remain extremely high and access to secondary education is still limited. The initiative hopes to strengthen proven community-based models that combine education, sport, mentorship, and cultural engagement.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the initiative as an example of football’s wider social impact beyond the pitch.
“Football has the power to unite, inspire and create lasting change, and through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund we are putting that power into action to invest in the future of children around the world,” he said.
Global Citizen Co-Founder and CEO Hugh Evans also stressed the urgency behind educational access in underserved communities.
“For children growing up in extreme poverty, access to education is not only life-changing, it’s life-saving,” Evans said. “The impact of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is far reaching, beyond the lives of young people in classrooms and on sports fields, into these communities, where cycles of poverty can begin to be broken.”
To date, the fund has already raised more than $30 million through support from philanthropies, corporations, donors, and proceeds linked to major sporting and entertainment events. Contributions include partnerships tied to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA Collect, and tours from artists including The Weeknd, Usher, and Chris Brown through Live Nation collaborations.
Founding donors include Bank of America and MetLife Foundation, while the advisory board features names spanning entertainment, sport, and philanthropy, including Hugh Jackman, Shakira, Serena Williams and Kaká.
Half of the total funds raised will also support FIFA’s Football for Schools programme, an initiative currently active across more than 200 countries and designed to combine football with life-skills education and youth development.
Applications for the second cycle of grants are now officially open for organisations around the world working at the intersection of education and sport. FIFA and Global Citizen say the initiative is designed not only to fund projects, but to create sustainable pathways that can transform communities long after the World Cup ends.
