2026 World Cup: FIFA more active than ever, both on and off the pitch

• Adoption of a new regulatory framework, including a new version of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, as well as the announcement of a "historic" cooperation agreement with FIFPRO and the conclusion of legal proceedings initiated by former French international Lassana Diarra against the international federation.

• Extension of the partnership with the Belgian brewing group AB InBev, new agreements with the cryptocurrency trading platform Kraken and with Salesforce, the US customer relationship management (CRM) software provider.

• Opening, at Rockefeller Centre in New York, of the "Legacies of Champions" exhibition on the history of the World Cup.

• Launch of a partnership with the NGO Common Goal in Brazil ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

These are just some of the announcements made by FIFA in the days leading up to the kick-off of the 2026 World Cup on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City (MEX).

This intense activity also extends to the geopolitical sphere, notably through the efforts of Mattias Grafström, the world governing body’s general secretary, to engage with…