FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine during the World Cup.
Gianni Infantino has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine during the World Cup
The head of world football's governing body issued a plea for all sides to use the tournament - which gets underway in Qatar on Sunday (20.11.22) - as a "positive trigger" to work towards a resolution to the conflict.
Addressing leaders at a lunch at the G20 summit in Bali, Infantino said: "My plea to all of you, is to think on a temporary ceasefire for one month for the duration of the World Cup, or at least the implementation of some humanitarian corridors or anything that could lead to the resumption of dialogue as a first step to peace.
"You're the world leaders, you have the ability to influence the course of history. Football and the World Cup are offering you and the world a unique platform of unity and peace all over the world."
Infantino believes that the tournament's global appeal could serve as a catalyst for positive steps in the ongoing war.
He said: "Football is a force for good. We are not naive to believe that football can solve the world's problems. We know that our main focus as a sports organisation is and should be sports, but because football unites the world, this particular FIFA World Cup, with five billion people watching it, can be a trigger for a positive gesture, for a sign or a message of hope."