October 28 – FIFA and Global Citizen have announced the formation of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund Advisory Board, marking the next step in the initiative’s goal to raise $100 million to expand global access to education and football for children.
The non-fiduciary advisory board brings together prominent figures from sport, entertainment, business, and philanthropy in an effort to help shape the fund’s global impact.
Co-chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, the board includes celebrity faces such as Hugh Jackman, Ivanka Trump, The Weeknd, Shakira, Serena Williams, Kaká, and Jim DeMare, co-president of Bank of America.
The fund, launched earlier this year, aims to channel football’s global reach into social progress by supporting grassroots education and sport programmes. Its first major fundraising step will see $1 from every ticket sold for the 2026 World Cup donated to the fund, following an initial pilot at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
In addition to fundraising, the initiative has opened applications for organisations seeking grants to support community-based education and football projects.
However, the composition of the advisory board has raised a few eyebrows. The inclusion of Ivanka Trump – whose family has close personal ties to Infantino and who played a prominent role in the Trump administration’s engagement with FIFA around the North American World Cup bid – has reignited questions about the organisation’s blurred lines between politics, image management and global development work.
FIFA’s recent push into philanthropy comes as the governing body continues to face scrutiny over transparency, governance and human rights commitments linked to its major tournaments – most notably the case stemming from the Qatar World Cup, where 37 worker deaths were directly linked to the construction of World Cup stadiums.
While the Education Fund aims to project a softer, socially conscious image of football’s governing body, its credibility will depend on how the money is managed — and whether it truly benefits the communities it claims to serve.
“Football unites the world, and today we are harnessing that unity to make a lasting impact beyond the pitch,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Together with Global Citizen, we are proud to launch the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund Advisory Board and welcome an extraordinary group of leaders and founding contributions toward our goal of raising $100 million for children’s education and football worldwide. We are transforming the world’s game into a force for opportunity, hope, and learning for millions of children.”
Jim DeMare, Co-President of Bank of America said: “Bank of America is proud and excited to become a founding donor and the Bank of Record for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, further building on our role as Official Bank Sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026. Sport brings people together – children, communities, and nations. FIFA and Global Citizen are great partners to use that power to address global learning challenges and opportunities.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]