“Be Active” campaign encourages children to get moving to lead healthier, happier lives
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström: “World Football Week is a very special event which represents the universality of football”
FIFA Legend Nuno Gomes says football gives children self-confidence and teaches them life skills
Friendly match also coincides with FIFA’s 122nd anniversary
FIFA management and staff took part in a friendly match at the Home of FIFA's Estádio Pelé pitch in Zürich, Switzerland to celebrate the opening day of World Football Week and support the "Be Active" campaign, which aims to inspire children and fans around the world to get more physical exercise.
“World Football Week is a very special event which represents the universality of football, which can be played all around the world in our 211 Member Associations,” said FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström before taking his place with colleagues on the field of play. “(It is) an initiative of the FIFA President (which started) in 2024 and (which) also (marks) a special day as (today) is the 122nd birthday of FIFA, so it is a fitting day to celebrate the World Football Week.”
The theme of this year’s World Football Week – “Be Active” – is a message that will also feature at upcoming global FIFA events.
“(At the upcoming FIFA World Cup), the 'Be Active' campaign will be present in the 16 stadiums that we have (hosting matches in the final tournament),” the FIFA Secretary General added. “We will have the dance cam, where spectators will be able to show their dance skills and move a bit while they are at the game. But we will also have various grassroots activities, involving the (participating) teams around the matches (that supports what is happening in) the 16 venues.”
Organised by FIFA and the World Health Organization, the "Be Active" campaign, first launched at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, encourages children to move more and aim for at least 60 minutes of daily activity for healthier, happier lives.
“It's about encouraging children to be active and to play football - it's important for them because they will keep healthy, they will get self-confidence and they will have fun,” said former Portugal forward Nuno Gomes. “Football is also a nice way to engage with other people and other cultures…It's a nice way and a good way to get to know other people and to be human beings, like we should be.”
Seyni Ndir Seck, former captain of the Senegal women's team, added: “I think it's very important for children to be active, because as the saying goes, healthy body, healthy mind. And it's important for children to exercise so they can build their confidence.”.
On a busy opening at the Home of FIFA to World Football Week (21 to 25 May), the draws for this year’s editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ took place, as well as the two draws for the Youth Olympic Futsal Tournaments Dakar 2026.