Today, at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City, FIFA and Global Citizen, the world’s leading international advocacy organisation on a mission to end extreme poverty, announced the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative that aims to raise USD $100 million to provide access to quality education and football for children around the world. The new fund, announced by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino and Global Citizen CEO, Hugh Evans, will provide targeted support to organisations across the globe dedicated to improving education for children. Consumer donations will be enabled and supported by Shift4 as Chief Commercial Officer, Michael Isaacman explained today.
The landmark initiative will inspire new commitments from philanthropies, businesses, and individuals, and comes following the announcement of the impactful and engaging four-year partnership between FIFA and Global Citizen made at last September’s Global Citizen Festival in New York. As part of this effort, $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ matches in the United States this summer will be donated to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Tickets for the tournament’s 63 matches are available now at FIFA.com/tickets.
Additionally, proceeds from tickets sold to live music and entertainment events around the world will also support the fund, with artists including The Weeknd having already pledged their support. And Shift4, the global leader in integrated payments & commerce technology, will become the first company to support the fund by enabling its network of over 200,000+ merchants, including restaurants, retailers, hotels, and sports venues, to accept donations from consumers at the point of sale.
Finances from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund will be granted into grassroots programmes in over 200 countries. Half of the funds will also be allocated to the FIFA Football for Schools (F4S) programme, a FIFA and UNESCO led initiative that advances life skills, learning, and community development through football around the world.
Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador; Hugh Evans, CEO and co-founder, Global Citizen; soccer youth; Gianni Infantino, President, FIFA; and Michael Isaacman, Chief Commercial Officer of Shift4, announce the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
Speaking on stage at Global Citizen NOW, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, said: “Last summer, I joined the Global Citizen Festival to announce a major partnership between FIFA and Global Citizen, and to reveal the cities that will host the first FIFA Club World Cup to be held in the US. Today, we are announcing the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a new initiative to raise money from philanthropies, businesses and the public to support global learning. I’m pleased to announce that one dollar from every ticket sold to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will go to the fund. Football unites the world, and over the coming years we will harness that unity to improve education for millions of children globally.”
"The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund represents a bold step towards a world where every child, no matter where they’re born, has access to education and opportunity. By harnessing the transformative power of football and music, we are going to raise $100 million. Together with our incredible partners FIFA, we’re investing in a better world where every child has the chance to thrive," said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen.
“Shift4 is proud to support the Education Fund to power a new era of impact and purpose through payments. By leveraging our extensive client network — from stadiums and restaurants to hotels and retail — we’re enabling our partners to activate real change with fundraising at the point of sale. We are turning everyday transactions into a force for good and global education equity,” said Michael Isaacman, Chief Commercial Officer, Shift4.
Under the innovative partnership, Global Citizen will produce the first-ever FIFA World Cup™ final half-time show, which will be held at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, 19 July 2026. FIFA and Global Citizen will also take over New York’s Times Square for the final weekend of next year’s FIFA World Cup on July 18-19, 2026 during both the bronze final and the final.
Additionally, the four-year link-up includes this year’s FIFA Club World Cup™, a brand-new competition which features 32 clubs from all six continental confederations. Matches will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 US cities, with the action commencing on Saturday, 14 June 2025 and concluding with the final at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 13 July 2025.