FIFA Boss Infantino Says Nobody Knows When Football Can Resume

3rd April 2020

He said that because of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, for once football "is not the most important thing"

This tv grab from from World Health Organization (WHO) website shows FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaking during a virtual news briefing to launch a WHO and FIFA joint awareness campaign led by world-renowned footballers to follow five key steps to stop the spread of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on March 23, 2020. The new coronavirus pandemic is clearly "accelerating", WHO chief warned on March 23, 2020, but stressed it was still possible to "change the trajectory" of the outbreak. PHOTO | AFP
This tv grab from from World Health Organization (WHO) website shows FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaking during a virtual news briefing to launch a WHO and FIFA joint awareness campaign led by world-renowned footballers to follow five key steps to stop the spread of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on March 23, 2020. The new coronavirus pandemic is clearly "accelerating", WHO chief warned on March 23, 2020, but stressed it was still possible to "change the trajectory" of the outbreak. PHOTO | AFP
SUMMARY
  • FIFA boss Gianni Infantino admitted Thursday that "nobody knows" when football can resume around the world, and that when it returned it was "going to be different"
  • Like most other sports, football across the world has been largely halted by the pandemic, which to date has infected nearly a million people and killed more than 47,000.
  • In his message, Infantino said that "these are times of respect for those who suffer and for those who are helping"

ASUNCION, Paraguay- FIFA boss Gianni Infantino admitted Thursday that "nobody knows" when football can resume around the world, and that when it returned it was "going to be different".

He said that because of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, for once football "is not the most important thing".

"We all wish that we could have football tomorrow but unfortunately it's not possible and nobody in the world today knows when we will be able to play like before," Infantino told South American football chiefs via video link.

"Our world and our sport is going to be different when we return to normality. We have to make sure that football survives and that it can prosper once again."

Like most other sports, football across the world has been largely halted by the pandemic, which to date has infected nearly a million people and killed more than 47,000.

In his message, Infantino said that "these are times of respect for those who suffer and for those who are helping".

"For the first time, football is not the most important thing! Health comes first and must continue until this disease is defeated."

Infantino was speaking by video link to a CONMEBOL congress in Paraguay.