FIFA president announces 'true partnership' with Board of Peace for Gaza

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a "true partnership" between the world soccer governing body and the Board of Peace on Thursday, outlining plans for major soccer infrastructure projects in the Gaza Strip aimed at rebuilding communities through sport.

Describing soccer as a unifying global force, Infantino at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC said: "First point: football, or soccer as it's called here, is the world's universal language. It is spoken by 6 billion people, 6 billion fans who have the same feelings."

"It's about hope, it's about joy, it's about happiness. It's about coming together, and it's about uniting the world. We'll unite the world here this summer during the World Cup," he added.

Stressing that peace is essential to achieving that unity, Infantino announced "a true partnership between the Board of Peace and FIFA."

"And I'm very proud and very happy to announce this," he added, saying that after hearing presentations at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, "we need to help. We need to do something."

Noting that FIFA's contribution would focus not only on physical infrastructure in the Strip, he said: “We also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope and trust. And this is what football, my sport, is about."

Infantino also presented a promotional video at the meeting detailing the scope of the initiative.

"Through the partnership, a complete football ecosystem" will be created in Gaza, the video explained, saying that it will include the construction of football pitches, FIFA arenas, academies and a national stadium.

It announced that the plan includes 50 FIFA Arena mini-pitches at an estimated cost of $50,000 per unit, representing a $2.5 million investment. Five full-size pitches will be built in five different districts at around $1 million per pitch.

The initiative also envisions a FIFA Academy with an estimated investment of $15 million and a national stadium for 20,000 to 25,000 spectators valued at around $50 million.