FIFA appoints global icons including George Weah, Didier Drogba, and Mercy Akide to a new 16-member players’ panel aimed at tackling racism and driving cultural change in football.
FIFA has unveiled its much-anticipated players’ voice anti-racism panel, bringing together some of the game’s greatest names to spearhead the fight against discrimination. The 16-member group, drawn from 14 different countries, will advise football’s governing body on anti-racism strategies, education programmes, and reforms to eradicate discrimination both on and off the pitch.
Among the high-profile figures confirmed are Liberian president and former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba. Weah has been named the panel’s ‘honorary captain’, a role that underlines his global standing as both a statesman and one of Africa’s most celebrated footballers.
A Global Voice Against Racism
The panel was first announced at FIFA’s annual congress in Thailand in May 2024, with the aim of ensuring players’ experiences shape football’s anti-racism policies. Members will act as ambassadors, educators, and reform advocates.
“Football brings unity and development. It also enhances humanity,” said Weah.
“I will always exert all efforts, as I have done in the past and continue to do, to promote the sport because football is life. I am honoured to serve in this role.”
Drogba, widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time, joins a diverse panel that spans continents; from Brazil to China and the United States to Sweden, ensuring a truly global representation of the players’ voice.
Infantino: “Racism is not just wrong – it is a crime”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino welcomed the panel’s formation, stressing that the body would not only advise but push for action.
“They will support education at all levels of the game and promote new ideas for lasting change,” Infantino said in a statement.
“They will further push for a shift in football culture, making sure measures to counter racism are not just talked about, but actioned, both on and off the pitch. Let’s be clear on this: racism and discrimination are not simply wrong – they are crimes. All incidents of racism, whether in stadiums or online, must be fully punished both by football and across society.”
Full List of FIFA’s Anti-Racism Players’ Panel
The panel comprises some of football’s most respected names, past and present, including world champions, Olympians, and pioneers of the women’s game:
- George Weah (Liberia) – Honorary Captain
- Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
- Mercy Akide (Nigeria)
- Ivan Cordoba (Colombia)
- Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
- Khalilou Fadiga (Senegal)
- Formiga (Brazil)
- Jessica Houara (France)
- Maia Jackman (New Zealand)
- Sun Jihai (China PR)
- Blaise Matuidi (France)
- Aya Miyama (Japan)
- Lotta Schelin (Sweden)
- Briana Scurry (United States)
- Mikael Silvestre (France)
- Juan Pablo Sorin (Argentina)
A Step Toward Lasting Change
The creation of the players’ voice anti-racism panel signals FIFA’s renewed commitment to stamping out racism at every level of the game. By enlisting iconic figures such as Weah, Drogba, and Akide, FIFA aims to harness players’ influence and lived experiences to deliver real cultural change in football.
As incidents of discrimination continue to cast shadows across leagues and tournaments worldwide, the panel’s success will be measured not by its symbolism but by the concrete reforms it helps drive from grassroots initiatives to the very top of the professional game.
