United for Football: UN Declares May 25 a Day for the Beautiful Game

May 25 is designated as World Football Day by the UN

May 25 will now be a day on which football enthusiasts worldwide can commemorate the world's most popular sport each year.

A resolution designating May 25 as World Football Day was approved by the UN General Assembly. In the United States, the game is referred to as soccer.

According to the resolution, the day commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first-ever international football competition featuring participation from every region, which took place on May 25, 1924, during the summer Olympic Games held in Paris.

ESPN notes that to the cheers of the assembled diplomats, the 193-member General Assembly passed the resolution by consensus, led by President Dennis Francis. Over 160 countries sponsored it in tandem.

The resolution's sponsor, Libya's U.N. Ambassador Taher El-Sonni, informed the Assembly that “soccer, or football as some refer to it, is the No. 1 game played and followed around the globe.”

However, he emphasized that football is more than just a game that people of all ages play for fun and in competitions on streets, in towns, in schools, and in courtyards. El-Sonni stated that because of football's “unparalleled position” in the sports world, “football serves as a universal language spoken across the globe, cutting across national, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers.”

The game, according to him, has developed into “a pivotal platform” that supports social inclusion and gender equality. It serves as “a common ground where individuals from varying backgrounds converge, promoting mutual understanding, tolerance, respect, and solidarity.”

The resolution acknowledges “the global reach of football and its impact in various spheres, including commerce, peace and diplomacy, and recognising that football creates a space for cooperation.”

Additionally, it acknowledges “

the fundamental role” that FIFA, the entity that oversees football internationally, and national and regional football federations, along with pertinent associations, have in advancing the sport.

The resolution calls on all nations to back football and other sports as a means of advancing women's and girls' empowerment, development, and peace. Additionally, it pushes nations to create policies and initiatives that support football as well as other sports and physical activities.

World Football Day is observed on May 25 in accordance with national priorities. The resolution “invites” all countries, U.N. bodies, international organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector to participate “and to disseminate the advantages of football for all, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities.”

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