The United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York became a focal point for football and diplomacy, as the “World Cup 2026 at the UN” event organised by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN brought together Permanent Representatives, senior UN officials and representatives of the global football community to mark World Football Week (21-25 May).

Held on the Plaza of the UN Headquarters the hour-long gathering underscored the FIFA World Cup 2026™ not merely as one of the world's greatest sporting spectacles, but as a shared international undertaking built on cooperation and collective ambition.

The three FIFA World Cup 2026 “Sherpas” – Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State for Sport of Canada, Gabriela Cuevas, Representative of Mexico to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force on FIFA World Cup 2026 of the United States –each took to the podium to outline their countries' commitment to delivering an exceptional tournament and to the values of partnership that underpin it.

The representatives highlighted the unprecedented opportunity presented by the FIFA World Cup 2026 to strengthen regional cooperation, accelerate football development, and deliver a lasting legacy for future generations.

A theme throughout the discussion was the commitment to ensuring that the FIFA World Cup 2026 benefits communities far beyond the event itself through investments in grassroots football, infrastructure, and social development initiatives. The speakers also stressed the importance of close collaboration among the three host countries in delivering a successful tournament across a vast geographic area, while addressing key operational priorities such as security and logistics.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 was presented not only as a major sporting event, but also as a platform to foster unity, cooperation, and sustainable impact across the region.

The event also cast its eyes towards the horizon, with Permanent Representatives to the UN of the three main co-hosting nations of the FIFA World Cup 2030™ – Portugal, Spain and Morocco – taking the floor to share their own vision.

The 2030 edition will mark the centenary of the FIFA World Cup™, a milestone that will be celebrated across three continents, namely Europe, Africa and South America (with the finals opening with a Centenary Celebration of three matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay). The representatives spoke passionately about what that historic moment will mean for the world game, stressing unity and the extraordinary reach of football as a force for connection and global solidarity.

There was also a warm tribute to Qatar for the outstanding organisation of the FIFA World Cup 2022™ and a recognition that the tournament as a landmark moment in the history of the competition.

The event formed part of a broader calendar of football-related activities taking place in New York during World Football Week, reflecting the growing resonance of the FIFA World Cup within the international community and its role as a vehicle for peaceful dialogue, human rights and cross-cultural exchange.

By bringing the tournament into the heart of the multilateral system, the event reinforced the message that football has a unique capacity to bring nations together.