FIFA and Global Citizen Announce Advisory Board of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund

New York, NY – 27 October 2025 – FIFA and Global Citizen, the world’s largest movement to end extreme poverty, today announced the formation of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund Advisory Board, following the first wave of founding donor contributions supporting the landmark initiative to raise USD $100 million for education and literacy for children around the world.

The non-fiduciary advisory board includes Hugh Jackman, The Weeknd, Ivanka Trump, Gianni Infantino, Hugh Evans, Serena Williams, Shakira, Kaká and Bank of America co-president Jim DeMare, who will provide strategic guidance to ensure the fund achieves maximum impact in its support to organisations dedicated to improving literacy and improving education quality and access for children. 

Launched earlier this year at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City, the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund will expand access to quality education, literacy, and football for children worldwide, aligning with the global average education spending of $1,000 per K-12 student annually. $50 million of the funds raised will be granted to grassroots education and literacy programs in over 200 communities globally. The remaining half of the funds raised will be directed to FIFA’s Football for Schools (F4S) programme, a FIFA and UNESCO led initiative that advances life skills, learning, and community development through football around the world.

Organizations providing access to education and sports for children in underserved communities around the world are now invited to apply for grants of up to $250,000 from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. The first round of grantees will be announced in early 2026. To apply, visit globalcitizen.org/education-fund-apply. 

Currently, there are approximately 350 million children and adolescents out of school globally. Of these children, approximately 133 million do not meet the minimum proficiency level in reading and math by the end of primary school. 

To jumpstart the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, founding donors include MetLife Foundation and Bank of America, which will also serve as the bank of record for the Fund. Each has already made significant contributions, demonstrating strong early momentum. Global Citizen thanks Cisco and the Government of Sierra Leone for their donations to the Education Fund. Additional pledges are expected from philanthropies, corporations, and individuals in the months leading into the FIFA World Cup Final in July 2026.

Last month, at the Global Citizen Festival, it was announced that the fund has so far raised over USD $30 million through the contributions of the founding donors, alongside proceeds from tickets sold to live music and entertainment events around the world including The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour, and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

It was also announced that USD $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 26™  matches will be donated to the fund. 

“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 USD 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.”

“Education is not charity – it is the single most powerful investment we can make to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. That’s why, in partnership with FIFA, we launched the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, and with our advisory board independently overseeing its distribution, we will ensure maximum impact globally. Together with our founding donors, partners and early contributors, through the Global Citizen Festival campaign, we have raised over $30 million so far, which will help ensure more underserved children have access to the books, classrooms, and skills they need to break the cycle of poverty.” – Hugh Evans, Co-founder & CEO, Global Citizen

“I'm excited about joining the FIFA Global Citizen Fund Advisory Board, to focus on education, a cause I have dedicated my life to. We will be working internationally with FIFA and specifically in Colombia along with my Pies Descalzos Foundation—who have built 20 schools in Colombia—on fundraising initiatives to expand programs that ensure access to quality education and long-term academic success for our children.” – Shakira

"I have seen firsthand the power that football has to create opportunities for children all around the world and it is critical that we continue to further this work. I have taken part in the FIFA Football for Schools programme since its inception, have experienced on the ground how powerful it is and I'm passionate about the possibilities that come from combining football and education. This FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund can be a key to further the role that our game has in helping children become the best human beings they can be." – Kaká

“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 26™,” said Jim DeMare, Co-President of Bank of America. “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.” 

FIFA and Global Citizen will make further announcements regarding initiatives funded by the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund in due course.

###