FIFA President Gianni Infantino received an award from the Atlantic Council in New York on Wednesday evening. In his acceptance speech, he called for peace in conflict-affected regions and stated that the situations in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan brought him to tears.
The Atlantic Council describes itself as a “nonpartisan organization dedicated to working with allies and partners to galvanize American global leadership and engagement.”
They noted that each year’s recipients are individuals who have made unique contributions to improving the world. On Wednesday evening, the honorees were French President Emmanuel Macron, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Infantino.
The Atlantic Council stated that Infantino has “redefined the role of sports in international affairs.”
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has called for the temporary suspension of the Israel national team’s international match eligibility at the past two FIFA Congresses. FIFA has also launched two independent investigations, but Palestinians are dissatisfied with the speed of FIFA’s probe.
Susan Shalabi, Vice President of the PFA, said at the FIFA Congress held in Paraguay this May: “Regrettably, our issue has once again fallen into a highly politicized bureaucratic deadlock.”
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström later told reporters: “Our independent committee is working on this topic. This work is still ongoing and will continue until they reach a conclusion.”
On Wednesday evening, Infantino delivered a speech in Manhattan, where global political and business leaders gathered. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and BlackRock Chairman Larry Fink, among others, also attended the event.
Infantino said:
"I am just an ordinary football fan. There are more political and business leaders here tonight—many world leaders and business leaders are present. Because of this, the appeal from me and all football lovers around the world is actually very simple.
We all know that we sadly live in a divided world, a hostile world, a complex world. Like all of you, I feel sorrow when I see children suffering. I also shed tears when I see mothers crying.
Whether it is in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Libya, or anywhere else in the world, conflicts are taking place in 80 countries across the globe. All of us are heartbroken to see what is happening.
But like many of you, I believe that human nature is inherently good, not evil. We must believe in ourselves, dear leaders, and we also believe in you.
We need world peace. How can we achieve it? Well, if I knew the answer, I would have done it already—I don’t know. But the secret, perhaps like in other aspects of life, lies in believing in peace and working for it. So let us work harder. Let us unite more people. Let us create opportunities for people to get to know each other and deepen their understanding. We hope you succeed. We hope the world succeeds. We hope the world is united, and we hope for peace."
