22/05/2025 Culture, Science, Education and Media
A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) visited FIFA Headquarters in Zurich on 21 May for high-level discussions on the promotion and protection of human rights in and through sport, with FIFA leadership and experts, including Mattias Grafström, Secretary General of FIFA.
The visit was part of a fact-finding mission aimed at deepening dialogue with key international sport institutions ahead of a joint debate in the Assembly’s June part-session. The debate will centre on two key reports from the committee, addressing the role of sport in safeguarding human rights and supporting peace and democratic values.
A great deal of the discussion focused on human rights conditionalities in the awarding and organisation of major international sporting events, particularly with a view to the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia. PACE members raised the importance of ensuring that host countries commit to meaningful human rights guarantees as a prerequisite for staging global competitions, in line with international standards and expectations.
During the meeting, Linda Hofstad Helleland (Norway, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, thanked FIFA for the open and constructive engagement, stressing that: “We come not to pass judgment, but to support and encourage greater alignment between international sport governance and the values enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. We commend FIFA for its progress on embedding human rights and gender equality into its structures, while recognising that much work remains to prevent abuse, ensure child protection, advance gender equality, and strengthen accountability in sport worldwide.”
The delegation underlined the importance of continued cooperation between international sports bodies, parliaments, civil society and athletes to ensure that football remains a model for dignity, inclusion and human rights.
In this context, Ms Helleland also announced the upcoming launch of the Parliamentary Alliance for Good Governance and Integrity in Sport, to be held in Trondheim, Norway, on 3 June. The event, entitled “Protecting a Values-Based Sport and Sport Integrity: Rebuilding Trust”, will bring together parliamentarians, sport integrity experts, anti-doping leaders and former athletes to address growing concerns around corruption, abuse and poor governance in international sport. The Alliance will provide a cross-party platform for legislators to promote reforms, monitor implementation and advocate for strong safeguards that defend sport as a space of fairness, transparency and human dignity.
The delegation from the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media included: