As FIFA struggles with internal reforms to clear up a corruption scandal, some within the sport worry that the world governing body could be distracted from its commitment to international development programmes.
Especially in Africa, football associations that lacked proper offices or quality fields for training and games have seen FIFA projects bring significant improvements.
According to Jerome Champagne,
former director of international relations for FIFA, In Cape Verde, the football association was sharing a small three-floor building with other sports federations, there was nothing,
FIFA built a headquarters with offices, in another wing you have dorms so that people attending courses are able to stay on-site, he added.
While FIFA's Goal Programme, focused on building federation headquarters and technical centres, has drawn most attention, FIFA has also pumped cash into developing countries through its Challenger Programme, which offers help for grassroots facilities, and Financial Assistance Programme.
The 'Win-Win' programme aims to improve revenue-generating activities in countries where the commercial development of the game has not progressed, while the Solidarity Fund helps victims of natural disasters.
FIFA's budget for 2016 projects $220 million in various investments.
In the wake of the corruption scandal, which has seen 14 people indicted in the United States and led to the suspension of FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, the talk in the upcoming FIFA presidential election in February is likely to focus on structural reform.
But the agenda is somewhat different in the developing world.
In essence FIFA's projects take the revenue from the World Cup every four years, generated mostly by commercial deals in advanced economies, and spend a portion of it helping nations with little hope of ever making the big stage.
