FIFA has pledged $50 million to build a new national football stadium in Gaza, despite the territory's critical infrastructure being in ruins after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. The promise was made at the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington, where nine governments pledged $7 billion towards a Gaza relief package.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the decision, stating, “We don’t have to just rebuild houses or schools or hospitals or roads. We also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope and trust.” The stadium is planned to hold between 20,000 and 25,000 spectators. FIFA also committed $15 million for an academy, $2.5 million for 50 mini pitches, and $5 million for five full-sized fields.
Gaza does not have its own national team; a unified Palestinian squad represents both Gaza and the West Bank. That team has been recognised by FIFA since 1998 but has never qualified for the World Cup. Infantino presented a video stating, “A simple ball. A shared field. A reason to believe again,” and promised a “complete football ecosystem” for Gaza.
Infantino has become a regular presence at White House events ahead of this year's World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada. At the Board of Peace event, Trump singled out Infantino for praise, noting that FIFA awarded Trump a peace prize last year after he lobbied unsuccessfully for a Nobel Peace Prize. Trump remarked, “I think they saw that I got screwed by Norway.”
