WORLD football governing body Fifa has reminded its member associations that it will be sending a team of experts to conduct an on-site audit of how funds from the Forward Programme were used.

Fifa deputy secretary-general (football) Zvonimir Boban said following respective decisions of the Fifa development committee and Fifa audit and compliance committee, the central review will be performed at all member associations and as a result, the submission of the local Fifa programme audit is not required. However, each member association is still required to submit the statutory audit reporting package.

According to Fifa, the 2017 central review will take place over two stages; the first being the submission of advance information to Fifa, which includes the contact details (name, position, email address, phone number) of the most senior member of the administration responsible for financial management.

This information was expected to be submitted by Thursday last week to facilitate scheduling of the on-site visit.

“Fifa kindly requests all member associations to submit the following reporting information before 28 February 2018: Scanned copy of the completed and signed reporting forms 3 and 4, scanned copy of the confirmation letter completed by the bank at which the separate Fifa Forward bank account(s) is/are held, scanned copy of the Fifa Forward Programme bank account statements for all 12 months inclusive from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017. Where there is more than one separate bank account, please include statements for all those in operation, reconciliation of any differences between form 4 and the bank statements, if required, accounting records available for Fifa Forward Programme Fund disbursements for the period 1 January 2017 to 31 December 20,” wrote Boban.

“The second stage of the 2017 central review process will be the on-site visit of an independent third-party auditor to your member association. The purpose of this visit is to verify the advance reporting information submitted and assess your member association’s compliance with the Fifa Forward regulations in the use of funds received during the year. A provisional list of procedures to be performed on-site is included. The expected duration of the on-site visit is two to three days and will begin in March 2018. You will be contacted shortly to arrange a date that is suitable to your schedule. Fifa kindly requests that the most senior staff member responsible for the financial management of your member association be fully available to the central review team for the duration of the on-site visit. Upon conclusion of the on-site visit, where weaknesses have been identified, the central review team will agree on an action plan with your member association to address these weaknesses. Following up on this action plan will take place remotely in the months following completion of the on-site review.”