But during this year's inaugural Club World Cup—in the United States of all places—that commitment has gone missing. No "No Racism" signage. No "No Discrimination" videos. No announcements. No armbands. No social media messaging. Just silence. (And a Dance Cam encouraging people to "Be Active.")
Compare that to past FIFA tournaments, where anti-racism and inclusion messages were projected on jumbotrons, splashed across LED boards, and worn on armbands—from "Unite for Gender Equality" to "Unite for Inclusion." Now? Nothing.
FIFA hasn't explained why. But the silence speaks volumes.
This isn't just about football. It's about leadership.
FIFA's own president recently said racism and discrimination are crimes. But apparently, enforcing that message depends on the host country's political climate.
When global institutions water down their values to appease domestic politics, they're not being "neutral." They're being complicit.
You don't end discrimination with silence. You end it with action, visibility, and leadership—even, and especially, when it's inconvenient.
Silence is a choice. And in this case, it's the wrong one.