FIFA Partners with the Peace Council to Develop Football as a Lever of Hope in Gaza
FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveiled on Thursday in Washington a joint initiative with the Peace Council aimed at establishing a fully integrated football infrastructure in Gaza, presented as a vehicle for peace, dignity, and hope for the local population.
The announcement was made during the Council’s inaugural session, organized under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump, in the presence of leaders and foreign ministers representing around fifty countries, including Morocco.
The program includes a series of major investments: fifty FIFA Arena-type mini-pitches estimated at $50,000 each, five regulation-size stadiums valued at $1 million apiece, a sports academy estimated at approximately $15 million, and a large national stadium projected to cost $50 million. According to Infantino, this package is intended to create a comprehensive sports ecosystem capable of sustainably supporting local communities and younger generations.
The FIFA president emphasized the universal reach of football, describing it as a language shared by billions of people and a bearer of values such as unity, joy, and togetherness. He stressed that rebuilding physical infrastructure alone is not enough to restore stability in a territory; hope, trust, and social bonds must also be rebuilt — dimensions that sport can help strengthen.
In his view, the project will not only help structure local and regional competitions, particularly for youth and amateur players, but also generate diverse professional opportunities within the football industry, fostering the emergence of talent and revitalizing the social fabric.
Initially designed to support Gaza’s reconstruction, the Peace Council has since seen its scope broadened, with Washington expressing its ambition to turn it into an international instrument for mediation and conflict resolution.
Editorial team/le7tv
