Football Champions Unite to Promote Sustainable Development Goals Ahead of the World Cup

With the World Cup just days away, 16 football legends and global icons have been appointed as Football for the Goals (FFTG) Champions, using the power of the world’s most popular sport to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advocate for a better future for people and the planet.

The newly appointed champions include current and former players and coaches from both men’s and women’s football, all taking on ambassadorial roles to advance sustainability, gender equality, inclusion, and human rights through the global influence of football.

Among the notable names are legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, Women’s Super League and Serie A winner Eni Aluko, former Inter Milan and Argentina captain Javier Zanetti, and exiled Afghan women’s national team player Khalida Popal.

Football: The World’s Most Accessible Sport

Football remains one of the most powerful communication platforms globally, reaching millions of people across cultures, generations, and communities.

Speaking during the launch of the FFTG initiative in 2022, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed highlighted the game’s unique influence:

“The United Nations recognises the powerful voice football carries in the global community and the role it can play in raising awareness of the SDGs through the popularity of the game.”

She further described football as not only the world’s most popular sport but also one of its most accessible, making it a vital tool for inspiring social change and global action.

Celebrating World Football Day

The FFTG Champions were officially announced on World Football Day, observed annually on May 25. The date commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament featuring representatives from all regions during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

In May 2024, the United Nations General Assembly formally established World Football Day through a resolution recognizing football’s global impact on peace, diplomacy, and international cooperation.

The resolution acknowledged football’s ability to unite people beyond borders and create opportunities for dialogue, inclusion, and shared understanding.

Football Driving Global Change

Football’s unmatched popularity and accessibility continue to make it an effective platform for raising awareness on critical global issues such as climate action, education, health, gender equality, and social inclusion.

It is this vision that inspired the creation of the Football for the Goals Champions programme a global initiative designed to harness the influence of football to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the world prepares for another exciting World Cup season, the FFTG Champions are expected to use their voices and platforms to inspire millions and reinforce the message that sport can be a force for positive global transformation.