The FIFA Foundation has confirmed the establishment of the Safe Football Support Unit (SFSU); an impartial dedicated unit that will offer specialist guidance and support services to victims of violence (physical, sexual and psychological harassment and abuse) in football. Operating under the auspices of the FIFA Foundation, the SFSU will be led by an Independent Panel supported by Special Advisors and a Survivors Advisory Group. The SFSU will be fully impartial in all its activities with wider stakeholder engagement undertaken as required.

The launch of the SFSU follows an extensive global consultation process that involved more than 230 stakeholders. A multi-stakeholder Safe Sport Entity Interim Steering Group, supported by four thematic expert groups, and survivors of abuse in sport themselves summarised their findings in a Final Report, which highlighted the need to provide impartial specialist support to the victims of violence in football to help them to come forward whilst continuing to develop additional multisport solutions for the longer term. The creation of the SFSU, the first of its kind within the international football community, aims to respond to incidents of violence by providing impartial specialist guidance and support to victims and whistleblowers at local level using first do-no-harm practices, and by offering trauma-informed case management services to the disciplinary bodies of the football ecosystem.

FIFA Foundation Executive Chairman Mauricio Macri said: “I must sincerely thank all those who took part in the comprehensive consultation process – the Safe Sport Entity Interim Steering Group, the four expert groups, and the survivors themselves whose voices have been heard. We commit to enabling the new Safe Football Support Unit to become a trusted resource for victims and survivors.” Although measures to protect the vulnerable are already in place, such as through the FIFA Guardians safeguarding programme; the SFSU will provide a safe place for victims to speak freely about their experiences to impartial experts; and eventually through the trauma-informed support services the SFSU will offer – to find peace and justice. “We hope that the Safe Football Support Unit will help to address some of the prevailing gaps through football, and we will continue to support ongoing efforts to create multisport solutions at national, regional and international levels to address violence in sport for the longer term together with our counterparts,” Mr Macri added. The Independent Panel and its Special Advisors will now focus on set up procedures, including the establishment of a Survivors Advisory Group, and the appointment of key personnel and expert service providers to facilitate the SFSU in launching its’ support services.

The new Safe Football Support Unit aims to help address prevailing gaps through football, whilst supporting ongoing independent multistakeholder multisport national, regional, and international efforts to address cases of violence in sport around the world for the longer term. Independent Panel members: Maud de Boer-Buquicchio (NED): Chair, ECPAT International; Member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; President Child Identity Protection (CHIP); former UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children; former Deputy Secretary General, Council of Europe; former Deputy Registrar European Court of Human Rights

Joyce Cook, CBE, OBE (ENG): Former FIFA Chief Social Responsibility, Human Rights and Education Officer; former Safe Sport Entity Senior Advisor to the FIFA President’s Office; Elected Safe Football Support Unit Chair

Guillermo Galarza Abizaid (MEX): Vice President, Global Partnerships & Law Enforcement Training, International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC)

Emily Logan (IRL): Police Ombudsman elect, currently Commissioner, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; former Chief Commissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and Ireland's first Ombudsman for Children

Kupakwashe Mukurumbira (ZIM): Advisory Board Member, Initiative on Safeguarding Children in Sport, UNICEF UK; Advisory Board, Safe Sport International; Safeguarding in Sports Expert Pool, Council of Europe

Peter Nicholson (AUS): Head of Intelligence and Investigations Athletics Integrity Unit; Ethics Officer, International Cricket Council; former war crimes investigator

Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran MSW (USA): Executive Director, The Army of Survivors; Expert Advocate; Trauma-informed Educator; Elected Safe Football Support Unit Vice Chair Special Advisors Ashley Ehlert (USA): Deputy Secretary General and Legal Director, International Ice Hockey Federation

Rogerio Galloro (BRA): Former Executive Secretary of AMERIPOL and Executive Committee Member (Delegate of the Americas), INTERPOL; Retired Federal Police Commissioner and former National Secretary of Justice (inc. National Refugee Committee (CONARE) and National Human Trafficking Enforcement Committee (CONATRAP); Intelligence, Security and Operations Coordinator, FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 and Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympic Games

Christian Karembeu (NCL/FRA): International Footballer; Technical Advisor; Sporting Director; former Football Scout; Champion for Peace, Peace and Sport

Ami Otaki (JPN): International Footballer; Founder, Nadeshiko Care Foundation; Gender Equality and Education

Patricia St. Peter (USA): Council Member, International Skating Union; Sports Attorney World Football Remission Fund The SFSU will be financed by the World Football Remission Fund, which was established in 2021 after the United States Department of Justice awarded the sum of USD 201 million to the FIFA Foundation as compensation for the losses suffered by FIFA, Concacaf and CONMEBOL as victims of decades of football corruption schemes – with the remit to help finance football-related projects with positive community impact across the globe.