Music icons Shakira and The Weeknd have been announced as key additions to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund’s Advisory Board, signaling a significant push for global education initiatives. The announcement, made on Monday, October 27, places these prominent artists alongside a diverse group of influential figures, including Ivanka Trump, Hugh Jackman, Gianni Infantino, Hugh Evans, and Serena Williams, among other leaders from the entertainment, sports, and business sectors. The primary mandate of this newly formed board is to oversee and guide the fund's mission to make education more universally accessible across the globe.

Drawing upon their varied personal experiences and illustrious careers, the board members will provide strategic direction to ensure the fund achieves its maximum potential impact. The ambitious goal is to raise $100 million dedicated to education efforts, with plans to benefit 100,000 children in over 200 communities worldwide. This crucial work is set to intensify in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The inaugural round of grantees for the fund is anticipated to be announced in early 2026, with interested parties encouraged to apply via globalcitizen.org/education-fund-apply.

This development follows earlier news from March regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Coldplay’s Chris Martin is slated to curate the event’s first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show. This landmark performance will take place at the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. FIFA president Gianni Infantino hailed this as a “historic moment” that will produce a show truly befitting the world's largest sporting spectacle.

Global Citizen, the organization partnering with FIFA, is a multifaceted charity renowned for its dedication to tackling pressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. It achieves its objectives through high-profile campaigns, conferences, and various awareness-raising events designed to mobilize action. A recent example of their extensive work includes the Global Citizen Festival: Amazônia, which was held in Brazil. This marked the first Global Citizen Festival hosted in Latin America, featuring performances by Chris Martin, Anitta, Charlie Puth, and Seu Jorge.

The festival in the Amazon region had a distinct purpose: to elevate the voices of indigenous peoples and local communities dwelling within the Amazon rainforest. Furthermore, it aimed to secure $1 billion in funding specifically for the protection, restoration, and rewilding of this vital ecological area. The partnership between Global Citizen and FIFA comes at a critical juncture, as reports from Global Citizen indicate that a staggering 350 million children globally currently lack access to formal schooling, highlighting the urgent need for concentrated efforts in educational empowerment.