FIFA, WHO Renew Deal To Promote Global Health Through Football

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Federation International of Football Associations (FIFA) have decided to renew and carry on their collaboration to promote healthy lifestyles and equal access to health services through football globally.

Both signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the effect in Geneva, Switzerland during the Seventy-Sixth World Health Assembly (WHA76) conference which took place on May 21, 2023.

Every, the conference brings together ministers of health and other governmental leaders from 194 member states alongside dignitaries and experts to deliberate on ways to improve health for all and effective recovery from COVID 19 pandemic.

The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, signed a four-year extension to the MoU which has been in place 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.

“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.

Infantino reflected on the previous partnership and noted that both parties agreed that harnessing football’s influence to promote universal health will help improve the globe.

“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.”

It said during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, FIFA and WHO introduced the ‘Football Unites the World’ campaign supported by 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 WHO’s Goodwill Ambassadors for Sport and Health; Alisson Becker and Didier Drogba.