FIFA President Gianni Infantino was present at the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace, Egypt, as well. On his return to Switzerland, he promised that his foundation would do everything to help rebuild football infrastructure in Gaza. The summit took place as the U.S. was preparing a new push for Middle East peace. Infantino underscored that sports should be at the heart of these efforts.
While at the summit, Infantino made headlines by throwing his weight behind the US-brokered ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas. He emphasized the power of football to be a unifying force and to advance peace across the region. In addition, Infantino repeatedly referred to former President Donald Trump as “my great friend.” Continuing to speak to the merits, he advocated for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions in creating a space for dialogue.
FIFA’s Commitment to Gaza
Infantino stated that FIFA will “have to do much more” to support Palestine’s football community. He elaborated on how FIFA will be supplying the necessary elements such as football, building of pitches and training of instructors.
“Football’s role has to be to support, has to be to unite, has to be to give hope in the region. 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. We will bring (footballs), we will build pitches, we will bring instructors, we will help organise competitions, we will launch a fund to help rebuild football infrastructure in Palestine,” – Gianni Infantino
Infantino’s expressed commitment fits with FIFA’s larger goals of leveraging sport as a driver of social change and community development. He pointed out that this project’s goal is to bring back normal and happiness by means of football. It prioritizes areas that have been most critically impacted by war.
Acknowledging Diplomatic Efforts
At the summit, Infantino praised Trump’s diplomatic efforts. He emphasized that Trump’s engagement has been “extremely instrumental and essential” in the unfolding peace process.
“The role of President Trump has been absolutely fundamental and crucial in the process. Without President Trump, there would be no peace,” – Gianni Infantino
Infantino’s statements highlighted his view that sports diplomacy should be used to support political negotiations, creating spaces more amenable to peacebuilding.
Previous Collaborations and Future Plans
Infantino and Trump have enjoyed friendly side by side public appearances at several such events, even at the World Economic Forum in Davos back in 2020. Their long-standing personal connection as friends and colleagues has undoubtedly colored their collaborative work on peace-building efforts.
Infantino, having recently relocated to Miami to fulfil his new pledge of energies for the North American World Cup. His moving the goalpost’s a testament to his fierce commitment to growing FIFA’s footprint and influence. By continuing to join the Summit for Peace campaign, you make this kind of support possible. This gives him the opportunity to weigh in on big geopolitical debates.
