In recent days, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the worldwide spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 was now classed as a pandemic. On 16 March, FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed a letter to each of the 211 football federations, urging the football family to protect their fans, players, coaches and all of the stakeholders involved in our magnificent sport. This highlighted how footballing institutions are called upon to take all necessary measures in preventing the spread of the virus within their respective communities.

In collaboration with WHO, FIFA is launching a series of awareness-raising initiatives aimed at providing practical advice and measures to combat COVID-19. Among these comes the video campaign featuring 28 of the world’s most famous football stars, including former Azzurri captain Gigi Buffon. The proposed message is simple and direct: fans all over the planet are urged to follow five basic rules in order to stop the spread of the pandemic. The clip, published in different formats, sees each of the champions speak their own respective part, with subtitles coming in four languages and the clip available on the FIGC and FIFA’s online platforms.”

“These are difficult days, it is a difficult time, and we have one big opponent, it is coronavirus, it is COVID-19,” said FIFA President Infantino while speaking to FIFA’s official channels. “In these times, football has to show solidarity and it has to show unity. We have to show that we are working together, that we are a team. This is a global problem… and global problems require global solutions.”