ZURICH (DA) — A new FIFA proposal could make up to $86 million in development funding available to Curaçao through 2038, giving the country a chance to build on its historic 2026 World Cup appearance.
The proposal is not yet approved. It requires support from a majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations and approval from the FIFA Council.
If approved, the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK) would be eligible for $20 million through FIFA Forward for 2027-30, replacing the $8 million currently budgeted for that cycle.
Funding would then increase to $22 million for 2031-34 and $24 million for 2035-38. That would make $66 million in regular development funding available to Curaçao across the three cycles.
The FFK could also seek up to $20 million in one-time funding through the proposed FIFA Fast-Forward Programme. That money would not be automatic. Curaçao would have to join the program and submit qualifying plans for major projects such as a stadium or national training center.
Separate from the proposal, the FFK has already secured $12.5 million from Curaçao’s qualification and participation in the 2026 World Cup.
That confirmed amount includes $10 million for qualifying and competing in the tournament, plus $2.5 million for preparation costs. The $10 million was Curaçao’s final tournament payment following its group-stage exit, with no additional group-stage payout to add.
FIFA also covered certain delegation expenses and provided participating teams with additional ticket allocations. Those benefits are not included in the $12.5 million because FIFA did not specify how much each federation received.
If the new funding plan is approved and Curaçao qualifies for the full optional amount, the FFK could have access to as much as $98.5 million when the confirmed World Cup distribution and proposed development funding are combined.
Only the $12.5 million from the World Cup is currently confirmed. The proposed $66 million depends on approval of FIFA’s plan, while the additional $20 million would require qualifying projects.
The development money could support infrastructure, coaching, national teams, domestic competitions, grassroots programs and women’s football.
FIFA highlighted Curaçao and Cabo Verde as examples of first-time World Cup participants that benefited from years of development support.
To finance the expansion, FIFA plans to create FIFA Forward Enterprise, a subsidiary that would manage its broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing, licensing and tournament operations. FIFA would seek up to $4.2 billion from minority investors but would retain control of the company and all football-related decisions.