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May 25 declared World Football Day by UN

May 25th has officially been declared as the World Football Day. Photo courtesy UN

By Amina Bonaya | 08 May 2024

May 25, which marks the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament, has officially been declared the World Football Day

Every year, on May 25, football enthusiasts around the world will have a day to celebrate the world's most celebrated sport.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday 7 May , declaring May 25 as World Football Day.

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The day will see fans from all over the world celebrating the beautiful game.

According to the resolution, May 25 will mark the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament, which took place in Paris, France, during the Olympic Games on May 25, 1924. All regions participated in a football tournament for the first time in history.

Libya's U.N. Ambassador Taher El-Sonni tabled the resolution, recognising football's unparalleled position as the world's most played and spectated sport. He emphasized that football transcends national, cultural, and socioeconomic boundaries, engaging players of all ages worldwide.

“The game has become "a pivotal platform" championing gender equality and social inclusion, a common ground where individuals from varying backgrounds converge, promoting mutual understanding, tolerance, respect, and solidarity." He said.

I welcome the adoption of the #UNGA resolution proclaiming 25 May as World Football Day.

Football, like many other sports, builds on the values of camaraderie, teamwork, fair play and tolerance, and is a tool for building peace and solidarity around the world.

Happy to meet… pic.twitter.com/rfvvaTMsZB
— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) May 7, 2024

More than 160 countries co-sponsored the resolution, which the policy-making organ of the United Nations unanimously adopted with roaring applause and approval from General Assembly President Dennis Francis.

The resolution acknowledges "the global reach of football and its impact in various spheres, including commerce, peace, and diplomacy, and recognizes that football creates a space for cooperation."

The resolution encourages all countries to support soccer and other sports as a tool to promote peace, development, and the empowerment of women and girls.

On May 25, the resolution "invites" all nations, U.N. bodies, international organisations, academia, civil society, and the private sector to observe World Football Day in line with national priorities "and to disseminate the advantages of football for all, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities."