FIFA to organise match to raise funds for fight against coronavirus

The FIFA Foundation is organising the match to widen football's reach beyond the sporting network to help support efforts at tackling the coronavirus.

Published : May 18, 2020 17:01 IST

“It is our responsibility to demonstrate solidarity and continue to do everything we can to participate and support the efforts in the combat against the pandemic,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The FIFA Foundation will organise its first-ever official football match to raise funds for Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT), a global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable global access to new coronavirus essential health technologies, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

Further details regarding the location, date, participants and format are expected to be announced by FIFA at a later date.

“It is our responsibility to demonstrate solidarity and continue to do everything we can to participate and support the efforts in the combat against the pandemic,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“We have been active in raising awareness via several other campaigns, and FIFA has also contributed financially to this cause, but now we commit ourselves to organise this global fundraising event when the health situation permits, even if this is only in some months’ time,” he added.

The FIFA Foundation intends to take the opportunity of hosting the match to widen the reach of football beyond the traditional sporting network and into wider society to help support efforts at tackling the coronavirus.

“The FIFA Foundation will engage not only with the worldwide football community, but also other stakeholders from non-governmental organisations to other foundations, and from the private sector to governments, in order to ensure this initiative is a significant help to those who are at the forefront of research in combatting COVID-19,” said FIFA Foundation executive chairman Mauricio Macri.

“Our focus is to develop and support a society that can provide a balance in terms of prevention from such diseases and the future life, creating an environment where sustainability can truly prosper.”