On the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup 2026, leaders in global health, sport and international development gathered at the Gates Foundation Discovery Center for “Beyond the Game: Sport for a Healthier Future”. The event, hosted by the Gates Foundation, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for Communities and the European Football Clubs (EFC) Foundation, explored how sport, and football in particular, can accelerate progress on child health—from improving child survival to ending diseases like polio.
Football has the power to reach communities that traditional health programs often cannot. From small villages to conflict zones, football pitches serve not just as places to play but as spaces for care, learning and inclusion. That power was underscored by the work that Robert Skinner (Chief of Global Partnerships and Engagement, United Nations and Lead, Football for the Goals), Ebru Köksal (Board Member, EFC Foundation and Chair, Women in Football) and Sarah Mukuna (Director of Member Associations, African Football Confederation (CAF)) are each carrying out through the initiatives they explored in their panel discussion.
This reach also extends to some of the world’s most monumental health efforts: those to eradicate dangerous diseases for good. The fights to end polio and malaria are both backed by global rosters of athletes committed to building the energy needed for success—Kathy Neuzil (Director, Polio, Gates Foundation) spoke to the immense value of Team End Polio and support from global clubs like PSG, and Philip Welkhoff (Director, Malaria, Gates Foundation) highlighted the contributions of Zero Malaria FC in protecting children and communities. These sports partnerships are more than symbolic: they are tools for translating science into action and achieving the goal of a polio- and malaria-free world.
The event also featured expertise beyond global health. Charlie Marshall (CEO, EFC), Rachel Brody (Senior Vice President of Global Youth and Education, Special Olympics), and Lynn Durham (CEO and Founder, STALICLA/GATHER Foundation) discussed the role of sport not only in inspiring global action but in fostering inclusion and creating local change—empowering community members to lead and advocate for what matters most to them. Fabien Allègre (Chief Brand Officer, PSG and Vice President, PSG for Communities) echoed this with a call for deep, authentic and sustained collaboration to make a lasting difference, from the pitch to the clinic and from the community to the classroom.
Beyond the Game reflected a shared conviction: that the partnerships on display—between teams, advocates, scientists and fans—are essential to ensuring that every child has the chance to thrive, free from the threat of infectious diseases like polio.
