World football governing body FIFA has appointed former Liberian President and football legend George Weah as the honorary captain of a new 16-member panel of retired players that will advise on the global fight against racism.

The Players’ Voice Panel will be responsible for recommending strategies to combat discrimination, supporting educational initiatives, and proposing new approaches to end racism in football.

“I am honoured to serve in this role. I will always exert all efforts, as I have done in the past and continue to do, to promote the sport because football is life,” Weah said.

Weah, who played for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan, is the only African player to win the Ballon d’Or, an accolade he received in 1995. Beyond football, he served as Liberia’s 24th president from 2018 until January 2024.

The panel includes several iconic figures from across the globe, such as Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Briana Scurry (USA), Mercy Akide (Nigeria), Iván Córdoba (Colombia), Khalilou Fadiga (Senegal), Formiga (Brazil), Jessica Houara (France), Maia Jackman (New Zealand), Sun Jihai (China), Blaise Matuidi (France), Aya Miyama (Japan), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Mikaël Silvestre (France), and Juan Pablo Sorín (Argentina).

The initiative was first unveiled during FIFA’s annual congress in Thailand in May 2024. According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, it is part of a broader plan to intensify the organisation’s response to racism.

“These 16 panel members will support education at all levels of the game and promote new ideas for lasting change,” Infantino said in a statement.

“They will further push for a shift in football culture, making sure measures to counter racism are not just talked about but actioned, both on and off the pitch. Let’s be clear on this: racism and discrimination are not simply wrong, they are crimes. All incidents of racism, whether in stadiums or online, must be fully punished both by football and across society,” he added.

Weah reiterated his gratitude in a Facebook post dated September 5, 2025, addressed to Infantino, where he described the appointment as “an honour” and promised that the panel would “work tirelessly to find effective solutions to eliminate the ugly scourge of racism from the beautiful game, both on and off the pitch.”

“On behalf of the panel members, I also wish to assure you that as individuals who have personally experienced racism during our careers, we understand how profoundly damaging it is, not just to the sport, but to players, fans, supporters, and humanity at large,” Weah said.

He also commended his fellow members, saying, “It is a proud moment working with all of you as together, we strive to kick racism out of the beautiful game, for the good of the game, and for humanity.”

The announcement comes just days after FIFA sanctioned six member federations, including Argentina, for racist and discriminatory behaviour by fans during World Cup qualifiers in June.

Infantino has consistently urged for harsher penalties against offenders, insisting that football must remain a “symbol of unity and inclusion”.