Legendary stars Drogba, Weah and Fadiga join FIFA Players’ Voice panel

FIFA has long championed the fight against racism in football, but the battle continues. The latest initiative, the Players’ Voice Panel, was launched on Friday, 5th September 2025, bringing together 16 former football stars who will act as global ambassadors in the campaign against discrimination.

 

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“The Players’ Voice Panel champions the Global Stand Against Racism by bringing lived experience and leadership to the fight against racism in football. The panel monitors and advises on anti-racism initiatives, drives education at all levels of the game, and serves as a think tank for new ideas,” FIFA stated.

The panel was established under Pillar 5 of FIFA’s Global Stand Against Racism, unanimously adopted by the 211 FIFA Member Associations at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, on 17 May 2024. The 16-member line-up features honorary captain George Weah (Liberia), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Mercy Akide (Nigeria), Iván Córdoba (Colombia), Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire), 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 (USA), Mikaël Silvestre (France), and Juan Pablo Sorín (Argentina).

FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized that all Member Associations are united against racism in football. “For the first time, players will be at the heart of this movement, helping to turn words into real change,” he said.

“These 16 panel members will support education at all levels of the game and promote new ideas for lasting change. They will ensure that measures to counter racism are not just discussed, but actioned on and off the pitch. Racism and discrimination are not simply wrong – they are crimes. All incidents, whether in stadiums or online, must be fully punished by both football authorities and society.”

The Players’ Voice Panel is central to FIFA’s No Racism and No Discrimination campaigns, which provide educational materials for players, coaches, officials, and spectators. Later this year, FIFA will launch a detailed e-learning tool for Member Associations. The initiative also targets children and young people through the FIFA Football for Schools Programme, ensuring that anti-discrimination education reaches all levels of football.

With legendary figures like Drogba, Weah, and Fadiga leading the charge, FIFA aims to accelerate the cultural shift required to eradicate racism from the beautiful game.

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