FIFA is set to lead efforts to raise $75 million to rebuild football infrastructure in Gaza following the destruction caused by the war between Israel and Hamas, United States President, Donald Trump and the global football body announced on Thursday.
The announcement was made in Washington during the inaugural meeting of Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace,” a group made up of close allies of the president and focused initially on reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
“I’m also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” Trump said at the gathering.
“And I think they’re soccer related, where you’re doing fields and you’re getting the greatest stars in the world to go there — people that are bigger stars than you and I, Gianni,” he added, referring to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who attended the meeting.
“So it’s really something. We’ll soon be detailing the announcement, and if I can do I’ll get over there with you,” Trump said.
In a separate statement later Thursday, FIFA outlined elements of the proposed initiative, including the construction of a football academy, a 20,000-capacity national stadium and dozens of new pitches across the territory.
However, the governing body’s statement did not reference the $75 million figure mentioned by Trump. Instead, it said funding would be sourced “from international leaders and institutions.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who has built a close relationship with Trump and presented him with the inaugural FIFA “Peace Prize” during the World Cup draw in December, was also present at Thursday’s event.
He wore a red baseball cap bearing the inscriptions “USA” and “45-47,” a nod to Trump’s two terms as president.
In FIFA’s official communication, Infantino described the move as “a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas.”
The “Board of Peace” was formed after the Trump administration, working alongside Qatar and Egypt, brokered a ceasefire in October aimed at ending two years of intense fighting in Gaza.
Washington has since stated that its priority is to ensure the disarmament of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel sparked the large-scale Israeli military offensive.
