The FIFA Council convened today in Shanghai and voted on a number of key steps for the future of international tournaments, including a unanimous decision to appoint China PR as the host of the first edition of the new FIFA Club World Cup in 2021.

The tournament will be played between June and July 2021 and the final list of venues will be decided by FIFA and the Chinese FA.

The participation model to determine the clubs that qualify from each confederation will be finalised in a consultation process between FIFA and the six confederations.

Other key decisions

FIFA to invest USD 1 billion in women’s football over the course of the 2019-2022 cycle, as a result of an agreement on extra dedicated funding in the amount of USD 500 million. This amount will be taken from FIFA’s reserves as an addition to the USD 500 million already approved by the FIFA Congress to be invested in women’s football as per the budget of the current four-year cycle.

Overview of the bidding timeline for the FIFA World Cup 2030™, according to which the process is set to be launched in the second quarter of 2022 and the selection of the host(s) is scheduled to take place at the 74th FIFA Congress in 2024.

Appointment of hosts of future FIFA competitions:

Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2021™

as the host of the Peru as the host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2021™

as the host of the Russia as the host of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2021™

Appointment of Tokyo as the host of the 71st FIFA Congress in May 2021.

Endorsement of the “second reform package”, delivered by the Task Force Transfer System and agreed to by the Football Stakeholders Committee, which regulates the representation and remuneration of agents; the loan mechanisms; and the training reward regime. The FIFA Council also endorsed the continuation of the Task Force’s work on further topics as per its work plan, including fiscal regulation, minors, squad sizes and transfer windows.

Endorsement of the amendments to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, as proposed by the Players’ Status Committee, the key aspect of which is the application of the solidarity mechanism to national transfers with an international dimension, as well as the established jurisprudence regarding minors, such as unaccompanied refugees and exchange students.

The members of the FIFA Council also received an update from CAF President Ahmad Ahmad and from FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura on the progress made within CAF since Ms Samoura’s appointment as the FIFA General Delegate for Africa, on 1 August 2019.

Meeting No12 of the FIFA Council is scheduled for 12-13 March in Asuncion, Paraguay.