FIFA and the Peace Council announce an integrated program to rebuild the football system in Gaza

Yesterday evening, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Council for Peace (BoP) announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement aimed at securing investment sources around the world to harness football to support the path of recovery, stability and long-term development in areas affected by conflicts, most notably Gaza.

The agreement was signed by Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, Yakir Gabbay, Member of the Executive Board of the Gaza Peace Committee, Nikolai Mladenov, High Representative of Gaza, and Dr. Ali Shaath, Commissioner-General of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, with the aim of setting a framework for building an integrated football system in the long term, providing infrastructure with international standards, launching structured community programs, and creating sustainable economic opportunities in Gaza.

Gianni Infantino confirmed, in his statement on the FIFA website, following the signing ceremony organized at the headquarters of the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace in the United States, that the agreement will enhance funding in football to support the recovery process in the most needy areas of conflict, indicating that FIFA seeks to make the game available to the largest possible number of people and to benefit from the opportunities it provides, because football has a role in bringing people together and supporting education, equality and peace.

The first phase of cooperation aims to implement a comprehensive program for the recovery of Gaza that combines physical reconstruction with social and economic recovery.

The plan includes the construction of 50 mini-stadiums within the “FIFA Arena” initiative near schools and residential areas, five full-sized stadiums, a modern academy within the “FIFA Academies” network, and a new national stadium with a capacity of 20,000 seats.

Implementation is divided into four phases, including social revitalization within 3 to 6 months through the establishment of mini-stadiums and activating the “FIFA” program for schools, then the construction of five full-sized stadiums within 12 months, followed by the establishment of the “FIFA Academy” and a center of excellence within 18 to 36 months, and the construction of the national stadium in the same period.

The stages will be implemented according to continuous monitoring of safety and security conditions, with the first stage being activated as soon as conditions permit.

The “FIFA – Arena” initiative falls within FIFA’s commitment to establish at least a thousand mini-stadiums by 2030, with 59 member national associations joining the program since November 2025.