A meeting has been held at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, bringing together representatives from the African Union Sports Council and the Council of Europe to exchange views on how football can contribute to social progress and strengthen cooperation with international organisations.

The meeting on 12 March took place on the margins of the FIFA Safeguarding Summit and provided an opportunity to present several of FIFA’s key social impact initiatives, while also exploring opportunities for alignment and collaboration with intergovernmental organisations.

Attending the meeting was Dr Decius Hikabwa Chipande, Head of the African Union Sport Council, as well as Stanislas Frossard, Head of the Council of Europe’s Sport Division. FIFA representatives introduced a range of programmes that use football as a platform to address important global challenges.

The session included presentations on three central pillars of FIFA’s work in this area. The first, on the topic of football for human rights, introduced the participants to initiatives such as the Global Stand Against Racism and the Social Media Protection Service, which aim to tackle discrimination and protect players and other stakeholders from online abuse.

A second presentation focused on football for education, highlighting the FIFA Football for Schools Programme, which combines football activities with educational content to support children’s learning and development.

The final segment explored the concept of football as a global public health platform, including initiatives aimed at advancing women’s health and helping prevent non-communicable diseases through the global reach and influence of football.

The meeting offered a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives and discuss how football’s global reach can support broader social objectives, while strengthening cooperation with international partners.