“Football unites the world,” Infantino declared, acknowledging the current aggressive and divided global climate. “Uniting this world is our responsibility. It is our answer to aggression, to hate, to war.”
This plea comes as FIFA considers a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international football.
“I pray for the children who lost their parents. I pray for all those who suffer unimaginably. I want, like all of you, just one thing – peace,” Infantino said.
He emphasized that while FIFA is a football organization, its mission is to unite rather than divide. “Sometimes, it’s easier to divide, but we are here to unite. I do not want to divide this Congress, FIFA, or our 211 member countries.”
In early May, the UN General Assembly declared May 25 as World Football Day. In his address, Infantino also pushed back against calls to reduce the crowded international football calendar, reinforcing football’s role in promoting global unity.