Published on: 2026-06-18
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Football during the World Cup – a common topic for diplomats and UN staff. On the eve of the match, fans among the UN personnel gathered in New York for a joint viewing of the Uzbekistan and Colombia national teams match.
The atmosphere of the meeting differed from ordinary events at the UN – participants followed the game together, discussed controversial moments, reacted to dangerous attacks, and shared impressions. For several hours, differences in rank and language receded into the background – football worked as a common denominator.
The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan to the UN with the support of the national team, which is participating in the world championship for the first time.
Speaking before the assembled, the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the UN, Ulugbek Lapasov, noted that the national team at the World Championship has become an important event for the country and a result of consistent attention being paid to the development of sports and support for youth. According to him, this success evokes a feeling of pride among people not only in Uzbekistan but throughout Central Asia.
During the event, they also spoke about the broader role of sports. It was noted that football remains the most popular sport in the world and helps people find a common language regardless of age, culture, and origin. That is why the UN considers football as one of the most powerful tools for social cohesion, promotion of gender equality and human rights, as well as strengthening peace.
The 2026 Championship is already in full swing, and interest in the tournament is felt far beyond the stadiums. The final match will take place at the New York New Jersey stadium in the state of New Jersey — just a few kilometers from the UN headquarters. Therefore, the conversation about the role of sports as an instrument of dialogue and mutual respect sounds especially relevant for New York today.
In the UN headquarters building these days, you can see an exhibition dedicated to the World Cup and the unifying power of football. It tells about the UNHCR project, presenting a symbolic team of 11 active professional footballers of world level who were refugees in the past. The captain of the team became UNHCR goodwill ambassador Alphonso Davies (captain of the Canadian national team, born in a refugee camp in Ghana). The lineup also included defender of the German national team Antonio Rüdiger. The project is aimed at attracting attention to the potential of refugees.
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