FIFA Council
The FIFA Council meet four times in 2022, with a wide range of key decisions taken or ratified – including the ground-breaking transfer regulatory reform and new budgets for global football development for the upcoming cycle.
No 18: 24 February 2022
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges presented by the development of the Omicron variant, the first FIFA Council meeting of 2022 took place via videoconference.
Key points from the FIFA Council meeting:
The agenda of the 72nd FIFA Congress in Doha, Qatar, on 31 March 2022 was approved
The FIFA Annual Report was published with financial statements for 2021 and the budget for 2023
FIFA condemned the use of force by Russia in Ukraine and any type of violence to resolve conflicts, stating that violence is never a solution
FIFA called on all parties to restore peace through constructive dialogue
FIFA also continued to express its solidarity to the people affected by the conflict
No 19: 30 March 2022
The second FIFA Council meeting of 2022 took place in Doha, Qatar, on the eve of the 72nd Congress and two days before the Draw for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The meeting, which was in a hybrid format as some members were unable to attend due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, marked the first time that the FIFA Council met in person since 24 October 2019.
Key points from the FIFA Council meeting:
The electoral calendar for the FIFA presidential election was confirmed
The FIFA Council received detailed progress report on FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™
Normalisation committees were extended in Côte d’Ivoire and appointed in Namibia
The FIFA Council ratified recent decisions taken by the Bureau of the Council
No 20: 22 October 2022
At its meeting in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand – its first in the Oceania region – the FIFA Council approved the FIFA Clearing House Regulations, a major step in safeguarding transparency and accountability in the global transfer system.
Key points from the FIFA Council meeting:
FIFA Clearing House Regulations approved
The regulations are the result of FIFA’s comprehensive transfer system reform and follow an extensive consultation process initiated by the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee in 2017
The regulations entered into force on 16 November 2022
Amendments to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players were also approved
The FIFA Council also received detailed presentations on the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™
No 21: 16 December 2022
The last FIFA Council meeting of 2022 took place in Doha, Qatar, two days before the FIFA World Cup™ final. FIFA President Gianni Infantino began the meeting by hailing the 22nd edition of the tournament as the “best ever”, following nearly a month during which “football reinforced its unique cohesive power by uniting the world in a spirit of peace and friendship”.
Key points from the FIFA Council meeting:
The budget for the 2023-2026 cycle was confirmed and will see USD 9.7 billion invested in football.
Dedicated funding of USD 200 million was approved to cover the 2023‑2026 operational life cycle of the groundbreaking Talent Development Scheme.
Several key strategic principles related to the international match calendars and competitions for both men’s and women’s football were endorsed.
A 32-team FIFA Club World Cup – to take place every four years beginning in June 2025 – was approved, alongside several principles across men’s, women’s and youth competitions and calendars.
The FIFA Football Agent Regulations were approved.
The United Arab Emirates and the Seychelles (FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups™) were appointed to host FIFA tournaments.
Morocco was appointed to host the FIFA Club World Cup 2022