GENEVA, 12th July, 2023 (WAM) – Football’s global governing body FIFA and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further develop their long-standing working relationship.
The long-term agreement will lead to both organisations working closely with those forcibly displaced from their homes and help to strengthen communities through enhanced access to football, education and other opportunities.
The signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, was conducted by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees – with both leaders committing to an ongoing relationship to use the power of football to positively impact global society, a key pillar of the FIFA President’s Vision. UNHCR’s mandate is to help those forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. Currently, more than 110 million people are forcibly displaced, a number that’s never been higher, with the vast majority hosted in low- and middle-income countries.
The signing ceremony comes just eight days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 begins, with the newly-formalised partnership to be active throughout.
It builds on a collaboration over the last four years between FIFA and UNHCR. In March 2022, FIFA and UNHCR united in a global appeal to raise funds for people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.
Under the terms of the MoU, the two entities will continue to build this partnership through football activities and projects promoting social cohesion, education and youth development, with a focus on providing solutions and opportunities through sports. FIFA and UNHCR will also collaborate to ensure football players in need of international protection are appropriately supported.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand is expected to reach a global audience of 2 billion people, and, in line with commitments outlined in the MoU, the two parties will use the tournament to call for the football community to Unite for Peace. During the Round of 16 matches, team captains will be invited to wear armbands promoting this cause alongside messages on pitchside LEDs, stadium big screens and social media, reaching a global audience and providing huge exposure for this crucial message.
FIFA and UNHCR will also partner to spread awareness around key annual international dates, such as World Refugee Day, and will continue to deliver joint activations and campaigns – all of which aim at supporting UNHCR’s life-saving humanitarian assistance as well as its focus to create long-term solutions for refugees.