Hervé Verhoosel, a former senior United Nations communications adviser, has called on FIFA to uphold complete transparency amid recent controversies and to harness football's unparalleled ability to unite people for the common good. Drawing on his experiences in conflict zones and development programs, Verhoosel argues that the sport's true value lies not in trophies or commercial success, but in its capacity to rebuild trust, encourage education, and save lives.
Football as a Tool for Peace and Development
Verhoosel recalls attending a tournament organized by the UN peacekeeping mission in Bangui, Central African Republic, where young people from communities that had recently been on opposite sides of a violent conflict played together on the same team. He describes a moment when a player named Gloire à Dieu passed the ball to Moussa—an ordinary pass that carried extraordinary meaning, as only a few years earlier their families had been enemies. Through training sessions, matches, and informal encounters, these young people gradually learned to trust one another again, discovering respect, cooperation, and the possibility of a shared future. Football did not erase the past, but it helped rebuild confidence where it had once disappeared.
In Rwanda, Verhoosel saw football encourage children to attend school, where they also received meals through the World Food Programme. Across Africa, some of the continent's best-known players used their public profiles to support the Roll Back Malaria partnership, helping persuade families to protect their children against one of the world's deadliest diseases. Football was not simply about scoring goals; it was helping to save lives.
FIFA Must Embrace Transparency and Independence
Verhoosel expresses deep concern over recent controversies surrounding FIFA and the perception that politics has found its way onto the pitch during the World Cup. He insists that FIFA owes supporters, players, and national associations complete transparency. If its rules have been applied correctly, it should explain its decisions clearly. If mistakes have been made, it should acknowledge them and take responsibility. That is how trust in major international institutions is built.
However, Verhoosel argues that the fundamental issue lies elsewhere. FIFA does not operate in isolation; it works every day with governments, businesses, and partners around the world. That is both inevitable and necessary. What must never become acceptable is allowing political or commercial pressure to undermine its independence or distract it from its mission.
Redefining FIFA's Broader Purpose
Verhoosel believes that the response to the current crisis should not be limited to legal arguments or institutional reforms. It should also be an opportunity to redefine FIFA's broader purpose. He points to the FIFA Foundation as the right instrument to make a real difference. With greater ambition, the FIFA Foundation could become one of the world's leading philanthropic organizations. Very few institutions have the capacity to bring together more than 200 national football associations, millions of players, global sponsors, and billions of supporters behind common humanitarian goals.
He argues that the Foundation should no longer be seen as a peripheral activity; it should become one of FIFA's central missions. This requires resources that match the scale of world football, but also governance that is open to independent voices with recognized integrity, credibility, and the courage to challenge conventional thinking. Strong institutions benefit from people who are prepared to ask difficult questions and help shape a long-term vision.
The World Champion's Unique Responsibility
Verhoosel emphasizes that the team that lifts the World Cup will inherit something far greater than a trophy—it will inherit the attention of millions of people across the globe. World champions have a unique opportunity to inspire beyond sport and to remind us that excellence is not measured only by titles, but also by the values that are defended and the example that is set. Communication campaigns and carefully worded statements are no longer enough.
Football possesses a unique power to inspire and mobilize people across every continent. Verhoosel warns that it would be a missed opportunity if that influence came to be associated primarily with power struggles, commercial interests, or political disputes, when it could become one of the world's greatest forces for the common good. He concludes that football's greatest victories will never be measured only by what happens on the pitch; they will also be measured by its ability to bring people together and to make our world a little fairer, healthier, and more peaceful.
Hervé Verhoosel is an international affairs and strategic communications adviser. He spent more than 20 years in senior communications roles at the United Nations, including with the World Food Programme, WHO, UNITAID, and the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.
