FIFA and the World Health Organization (WHO) have consented to extend their collaboration and to keep on using the force of football to promote healthy lifestyle and equivalent admittance to health services around the world.
During the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and FIFA President Gianni Infantino signed a four-year extension to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has been set up since 4 October 2019.
“Health and football are perfect teammates. Promoting healthy lifestyles, safe stadiums and the physical and mental benefits of physical activity are among the many health goals WHO is proud to keep scoring with FIFA for the next four years,” said Dr Tedros.
“WHO’s partnership with FIFA has already succeeded to share evidence-based messages to help people of all ages lead healthier and safer lives through the power of football and sport. WHO looks forward to continuing this journey.”
“We are proud to have signed and renewed the memorandum of understanding with the World Health Organization – we are proud to continue our relationship to pass important physical and mental health messages through our global football audience,” Gianni Infantino said. “I extend my gratitude to Dr Tedros, to his wonderful team, to everyone that helps in the healthcare sector – from doctors to nurses to healthcare professionals and health ministers – and to everyone who contributes to make our lives better.”
Reflecting on the past four years, he added:
“Both Dr Tedros and I felt that in a world that is more and more divided, maybe if the World Health Organization and FIFA join forces, we can achieve something, we can have even just a little impact to make our lives a little bit better. Since 2019, we have worked together with our colleagues at the World Health Organization to try to use the impact of football, that helps drive health for one and all.”
FIFA and the World Health Organization launched the Football Unites the World campaign during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM.
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It demonstrated football’s unparalleled capacity to unite people, with assistance from football stars including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Hassan Al-Haydos, Karim Benzema, Lucy Bronze, Giulia Gwinn, Kaká, Robert Lewandowski, Carli Lloyd, Édouard Mendy, and Emmanuel Petit, as well as two of the WHO’s Goodwill Ambassadors for Sport and Health, Alisson Becker and Didier Drogba
The WHO, FIFA, and Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health all worked together on a number of projects to emphasize the significance of universal access to mental and physical health care. Through the tournament’s organization and inclusion of a number of initiatives, health and wellness were prioritized.
