Post by FIFA

Football is more than a game. It is a reflection of our societies, our values and our shared responsibility to uphold human dignity. FIFA’s Head of Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination, Gerd Dembowski, spoke at the Los Angeles opening of The Beautiful Game: The Untold Story, an exhibition presented by the Holocaust Museum Los Angeles and the German Football Museum by DFB, highlighting the profound contributions of Jewish players, coaches, officials and communities to the development of football before and after the Holocaust. The exhibition tells powerful stories of persecution, loss and resilience, demonstrating how football has helped individuals and communities rebuild, reconnect and recover in the face of unimaginable adversity. In his remarks, Gerd highlighted the importance of remembering these histories and reaffirmed FIFA’s commitment to respecting and promoting human rights through football. He outlined a range of anti-discrimination measures being implemented at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, including a monitoring system, stadium codes of conducts, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service and the continued delivery of FIFA’s No Racism campaign. “The history represented in this exhibition reminds us why anti-discrimination work in football cannot be symbolic alone. It must be practical, visible and effective,” said Gerd Dembowski. As football continues to bring people together across cultures and borders, exhibitions such as The Beautiful Game... The Untold Story serve as an important reminder of the responsibility we all share to ensure that the game remains a place where everyone belongs.