Women’s football will still benefit from investment worth $1bn (£804m) despite the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, says Fifa.
Covid-19 has caused football across all levels to be halted in most of the world’s countries.
But the funding for the women’s game, which covers 2019-2022 will not be cut.
A spokesperson for football’s world governing body said: “This funding has already been committed by Fifa and will not be impacted by the current crisis.”
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, the spokesperson added: “This funding will be invested into a range of areas in the women’s game including competitions, capacity building, development programmes, governance and leadership, professionalisation and technical programmes.”
The package, announced last year, doubled Fifa’s investment and came from the association’s cash reserves
The women’s game is enjoying a surge in popularity with last year’s Women’s World Cup watched by a record-breaking 1.12bn viewers.
Fifa also confirmed that the women’s game would be part of any package to help the sport cope with losses incurred due to coronavirus.
“Women’s football is being fully considered as part of this process in order to understand the various needs and impact on stakeholders within the women’s game,” the spokesperson added.
“Fifa is currently working on possibilities to provide assistance to the football community around the world, including women’s football. The exact format and details of this assistance are currently being discussed in consultation with Fifa’s member associations, the confederations and other stakeholders.
“As part of these discussions, Fifa is in close contact with key women’s football stakeholders via the Professional Women’s Football Task Force and the Fifa-Confederations sub-working group on the impacts of Covid-19.”