Gianni Infantino, president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), announced a new partnership with the Board of Peace on Thursday (19 February), committing to build football pitches and arenas in Gaza as part of broader efforts to rebuild the region.
At the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, Infantino said that recovery in Gaza must go beyond traditional infrastructure.
“We don’t have to just rebuild houses, our schools, our hospitals, our roads — we also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope and trust. And this is what football, my sport, is about,” he told attendees.
In a video presentation following his comments, organisers said FIFA is pledging $2.5 million to help establish a “complete football ecosystem designed to support communities and future generations.”
The construction of sports infrastructure in Gaza - including football pitches, arenas and youth programmes - is intended to provide not only recreation but also promote social cohesion and restore a sense of normality for young people in the territory.
In December, Infantino presented Trump with the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize at the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, an award created by the organisation to recognise “exceptional actions for peace and unity.”
Through initiatives like the Football for Hope Movement and the FIFA Foundation, the organisation has previously supported reconstruction and social development projects using the sport as a vehicle for community building and youth engagement.
The FIFA Foundation has provided humanitarian aid in crises such as natural disasters and has committed millions in past years to rebuild damaged football infrastructure, particularly in regions affected by conflict or disaster.
The planned project in Gaza fits within broader discussions at the Board of Peace about reconstruction and stabilisation following years of conflict that devastated the territory.
Member countries of the board have pledged billions of dollars towards these efforts, with initiatives ranging from security force training and deployment to economic redevelopment and the restoration of public services.
The Baku Initiative Group hosted an international conference in Azerbaijan’s capital under the title “Neocolonialism and Global Inequality,” bri...
Gianni Infantino, president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), announced a new partnership with the Board of Peace on ...
Georgia is facing renewed scrutiny over alleged police ill-treatment and lack of accountability after the Council of Europe’s anti-torture body rais...
A Turkish parliamentary commission on Wednesday approved a document outlining proposed legal frameworks for the dissolution of the outlawed Kurdistan ...
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representati...
The Baku Initiative Group hosted an international conference in Azerbaijan’s capital under the title “Neocolonialism and Global Inequality,” bringing together political movements from different parts of the world that said they were still confronting both the legacy and modern forms of colonial rule
Georgia is facing renewed scrutiny over alleged police ill-treatment and lack of accountability after the Council of Europe’s anti-torture body raised serious concerns in findings published on 18 February.
A Turkish parliamentary commission on Wednesday approved a document outlining proposed legal frameworks for the dissolution of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.
The drumbeats have finally faded at the Marquês de Sapucaí, bringing the competitive phase of the Rio Carnival 2026 to a dazzling close. Over two marathon nights of spectacle, the twelve elite schools of the "Special Group" transformed the Sambadrome into a riot of colour.
Peru’s Congress has voted to censure and remove José Enrique Jeri Ore from his posts as President of Congress and acting President of the Republic, just four months into his tenure, citing undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen and alleged hiring irregularities.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of receiving a green light from the United States to launch strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile system, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
Aghdam’s Qarabag FK experienced a 6–1 defeat to England’s Newcastle United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie in Azerbaijan's capital Baku Wednesday evening (18 February).
France celebrated Olympic gold in the men’s biathlon relay in Anterselva on Tuesday (17 February), following a thrilling race marked by an electric atmosphere at the stadium.
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.
Iranian and Russian navies staged a joint exercise in the northern Indian Ocean on Thursday, as Washington builds up its military assets in the region, including deploying warships near Iran, despite renewed indirect nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
Britain's King Charles III has stressed that “the law must take its course” after his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, insisting a full, fair and proper investigation be carried out by the appropriate authorities.
The Trump administration has given immigration officers wider powers to detain legal refugees awaiting green cards, ordering their return to custody for renewed vetting one year after entering the U.S.
Peruvian lawmakers elected Jose Balcazar as the country's new interim president on Wednesday (18 February) ahead of general elections in April.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment