90min

FIFA Announces Approved COVID-19 'Relief Plan' to Provide Financial Support for Member Associations

By Mitch Wilks

FIFA has confirmed it's financial relief package to help worldwide football associations and communities
FIFA has confirmed it's financial relief package to help worldwide football associations and communities / OZAN KOSE/Getty Images
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FIFA's COVID-19 Relief Plan has been approved by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, meaning that $1.5 billion is being made available to member associations to support different levels of football through the pandemic.

The ongoing global pandemic first brought all major sporting events - including most football leagues - to a halt in March due to an enforced lockdown, which has left a number of clubs from professional down to grassroots level with significant financial struggles.

Football has continued behind closed doors due to health concerns surrounding the pandemic
Football has continued behind closed doors due to health concerns surrounding the pandemic / JUNG YEON-JE/Getty Images

The agreement, confirmed in a statement on FIFA's official website, states that a $1m grant will be available to each member nation in order to 'protect and restart' football. An additional $550,000 will also be available specifically for women's football, in the third phase of their three-phase system.

The 211 member associations will receive the grant and can also access interest-free loans of up to
$5m, in a bid to protect footballing communities worldwide. On top of this, each of FIFA's six football confederations will also receive a grant of $2m.

FIFA expect the funds to be made available to claim by January 2021, as world football continues to reboot and head towards normality. The monetary support will aim to help youth and grassroots football, as well as the men's and women's professional games.

The financial support will come at a welcome time for many football associations around the world, as leagues prepare to restart for the 2020/21 season in the coming months. In England, the government aims to allow clubs to let fans back into stadiums - in limited capacities - by October.

Fans could be back in stadiums imminently
Fans could be back in stadiums imminently / TF-Images/Getty Images

The lack of fans coming through the gate has resulted in significant financial strain on clubs in England, alongside the lockdown period that saw broadcasting funds also drop. While this hasn't too detrimental to Premier League clubs, it could prove fatal for a number of clubs in lower league divisions, and semi-professional teams outside of the Football League.

With football now heading towards a slow return to normality, clubs will hope they can recover with help from FIFA before it becomes too late.