Low　permeation　flux　and　rapid　flux　decline　are　challenging　membrane　technology　in　wastewater　treatment.　Here　we　used　a　metal–ligand　complexation　protocol　to　construct　novel　forward　osmosis　(FO)　membrane　for　efficient　and　sustainable　phosphorus　removal.　Disodium　and　tetrasodium　salts　of　ethylenediaminetetraacetic　acid　(EDTA-2Na,　EDTA-4Na)　were　separately　grafted　onto　the　conventional　polyamide　(PA)　membranes　via　chemical　complexation　using　Fe3+　as　a　bridge.　These　EDTA　salts　substantially　improved　the　membrane　properties.　Consequently,　the　water　fluxes　produced　by　the　EDTA-2Na　and　EDTA-4Na　modified　membranes　increased　by　109%　(11.1　LMH)　and　140%　(12.7　LMH),　respectively,　relative　to　that　of　the　pristine　membrane　(5.3　LMH)　with　0.5 M　NaCl　as　the　draw　solution.　Meanwhile,　the　EDTA-4Na　modified　membrane　surpassed　the　naked　PA　membrane　in　performance　with　higher　water　recovery　efficiencies　and　solute　rejections　after　long-term　experiments　against　a　mixture　of　bovine　serum　albumin　and　HPO42−.　Moreover,　the　water　flux　recovery　ratio　of　the　naked　PA　membrane　was　only　51%,　while　that　of　the　EDTA-4Na　modified　membrane　reached　over　93%　after　three　cycles　of　fouling　experiments.　This　study　provides　a　new　paradigm　to　develop　FO　membrane　via　a　metal–ligand　complexation　protocol　for　efficient　and　sustainable　wastewater　treatment.　Graphical　abstract:　Novel　FO　membranes　synthesized　through　a　complexation　protocol　are　used　for　phosphorus　removal　and　fouling　resistance　in　forward　osmosis.　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2021,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG.