Doha, October 16 (QNA) - The Qatar Football Association (QFA), represented by its President HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani in his capacity as a member of the FIFA Council, participated in the Council's 37th meeting today. Chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the meeting took place via video conference, with participants discussing a wide range of items on the agenda and adopting the appropriate decisions and recommendations.

According to a statement issued by FIFA, the FIFA administration presented the FIFA Council with a proposed initiative called the FIFA Surplus Solidarity Program, which would use a portion of FIFA's reserves to more than double the level of planned funding for the 2027-2030 period to USD 6.35 billion.

Under this proposal, the allocations per FIFA Member Association will reach USD 25 million, while distributions to confederations, zonal/regional associations and other stakeholders are set to significantly increase their Forward 4.0 entitlements, with the terms of distribution being aligned with the development of women's and youth football, long-term football projects and footballing infrastructure.

The plan, including the eligibility, application, approval, disbursement, control and audit requirements, will be finalized by the relevant FIFA committees and subsequently by the FIFA Council at its next meeting in December 2026, and included in the Annual Report 2026, all of which will be subject to approval at the 77th FIFA Congress in March 2027, in line with the established governance practices. (QNA)