Palestinians watch a five-a-side football match amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on Feb. 9, 2026. (Credit: Omar Al-Qatta/AFP)
An agreement was signed Thursday between FIFA and the “Board of Peace” dedicated to reconstruction in Gaza, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced with satisfaction, after Donald Trump announced a $75 million fund to revive football infrastructure in the enclave.
“I am also happy to announce that FIFA will help raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza, I believe they are football-related,” said Trump in Washington during the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace” he created, dedicated to the reconstruction of the overcrowded Palestinian enclave devastated by Israel's war on Gaza.
"You are going to build pitches and bring in the world’s biggest stars, people who are even bigger stars than you and me, Gianni,” Trump said to Infantino, who was present at the event. “This is really something important ... and if I can, I will go there with you,” he added. A precarious cease-fire has been in effect in Gaza since October, which Israel continues to violate.
In a statement, Infantino welcomed the “signing of a historic partnership agreement [with the "Board of Peace"] that will foster investment in football to support the process of reconstruction in post-conflict areas.”
National stadium
The plan for Gaza is set to start as soon as security conditions allow and will last three years. It notably includes “the construction of 50 FIFA Arena mini-fields near schools and residential areas, five standard-size fields in several governorates, a top-tier FIFA Academy, and a new national stadium with a capacity of 20,000 seats.”
Without mentioning figures, FIFA stated that the agreement will mobilize “funding from leaders and international institutions.”
Infantino and Trump have displayed their rapport since January 2025 and the return to office of the U.S. president, who received in December a newly created “FIFA Peace Prize.” On Thursday, the head of FIFA wore a red cap bearing the words “USA” and “45-47” for the two terms of the Republican billionaire, which was given to every participant of the “Board of Peace.”
On Oct. 13, 2025, during a summit on Gaza in Egypt, Infantino had announced that FIFA would launch “a fund to help restore facilities” related to football in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, calling on “individuals and entities worldwide to contribute to this collective effort.”
During Israel's war on Gaza, it killed and killed hundreds of Palestinian athletes, destroyed almost all sports infrastructure in the small 365 km2 territory, and ended the football championship or home matches of the national team.
