Ivorian football legend Didier Drogba and Nigeria’s former Super Falcons striker Mercy Akide have been appointed to FIFA’s newly launched 16-member global anti-racism panel, aimed at combating discrimination in football.
The initiative, unveiled on Friday via FIFA’s official social media channels, brings together former international players from 14 member associations across all six FIFA confederations.
Akide, a veteran of three Women’s World Cups, joins the panel alongside Liberia’s president and 1995 Ballon d’Or winner, George Weah.
Other African football icons on the panel include Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Senegal’s Khalilou Fadiga.
The diverse lineup also features Iván Córdoba (Colombia), Formiga (Brazil), Jessica Houara (France), Maia Jackman (New Zealand), Sun Jihai (China PR), Blaise Matuidi (France), Aya Miyama (Japan), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Briana Scurry (United States), Mikaël Silvestre (France), and Juan Pablo Sorín (Argentina).
According to FIFA, the panel – known as the “players’ voice” initiative – will focus on raising awareness, driving education, and offering practical strategies to address racism and discrimination in football.
Members will also highlight the emotional and professional toll of abuse on players and advocate for systemic change across all levels of the sport.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized the importance of the panel’s mission, stating,
“These 16 panel members will support education at all levels of the game and promote new ideas for lasting change. Racism and discrimination are not simply wrong – they are crimes. All incidents of racism, whether in stadiums or online, must be fully punished both by football and across society”.
The panel was established under pillar five of FIFA’s Global Stand Against Racism, a framework unanimously adopted at the 74th FIFA Congress. It comes amid ongoing concerns about racial abuse in major football leagues worldwide, reinforcing FIFA’s commitment to turning words into action.
