FIFA president Gianni Infantino has pledged to rebuild every football facility in Gaza, all of which had been destroyed during Israel’s years-long offensive.
Infantino made the announcement while attending the international summit for Gaza peace in Egypt following last weekend’s ceasefire in the troubled region.
The summit, co-chaired by United States (US) President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aimed to support the newly established ceasefire after the two-year offensive, and lay the groundwork for long-term stability and reconstruction in Gaza.
The event gathered leaders from around the globe, including Pakistan, the Arab world and Europe, besides United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres among others.
Infantino’s appearance stood out as one of the most notable moments of the event, marking a rare instance where a sports leader took part in a high-level political summit.
“Well, football’s role has to be to support, has to be to unite, has to be to give hope in the region,” Infantino said. “In Gaza, in Palestine, we will, of course, help to rebuild all the football facilities.
“We will help to bring football back together with the Palestinian Football Association in every corner of the country,” he said, adding that FIFA would bring footballs, build pitches, bring instructors and help organise competitions.
“We will launch a fund to help rebuild football infrastructure in Palestine,” he added.
Infantino also said that FIFA had already contributed through its mini-pitches and the FIFA Arena programme. “We want the whole world to contribute because football brings hope to children, it’s very, very important,” he noted.
He also praised what he called the “critical leadership” of President Trump, according to FIFA’s statement.
It merits a mention that FIFA has been under pressure to take action over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials demanding that Israel be suspended from international football.
Last week, Amnesty International also urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association. The issue remains under review with Infantino stressing that such decisions must involve coordination with confederations and be handled carefully.
A day earlier, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said that decisions regarding Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, fall under UEFA’s jurisdiction.