Dear Santa
Hope you are well, Santa? And the reindeers?
We are not going to send you a long wish list this year either since we have everything we need (except a big enough office to fit all of us, but that is not your problem…).
But we do wish for some changes to be done out there in the world. And we are trying hard to do our part, to ”make the world of football a better place, and available to everyone”.
During 2019 we will cover many more matches in Forza Football, and aim to have the same great coverage for the women’s game as the men’s. We will ask football fans around the world how they feel about FIFA and its president, if the organisation is doing a good job as their representative. And we will create something great for the youth but we can’t reveal exactly what yet (but it might have something to do with Cambodia…)
We will continue to collaborate with organisations who share our values, like Common Goal and Futebol dá força, and find new ones. A highlight of 2019 will of course be the FIFA Women's World Cup in France, and we are certain to team up with inspiring partners and create magic together.
We hope that FIFA will get better at listening to the fans' wishes. By contacting us directly (well, though Kick It Out) and ask to see the data from our latest survey ”Racism in Football” the organisation at least showed some unexpected interest.
The survey report showed that it is obvious that FIFA and football federations/leagues worldwide need to do more in the fight against racism and discrimination. The majority of fans:
…don’t know how to report racist incidents
…want to see points deductions for teams/clubs who don’t take the racism problem seriously
…don’t want FIFA to place international tournaments in countries where racism incidents at football are not dealt with properly
It is more important than ever to stand up against racism, against homophobia, for human rights and equality. The dark forces in the world must not prevail. Let's do this - together!
Can you see into the future, Santa? Is 2019 going to be the year of change (for the better)?
That is what we wish for, anyway.
Good luck now with everything. Merry Christmas!