FIFA staff have set a new Guinness World Record by bringing together players from the greatest number of nationalities ever to share the same field.
The match, held Wednesday in Morocco, featured 69 FIFA employees from 69 different countries, each playing at least ten minutes. The game included a steady rotation of substitutions, ensuring everyone took part.
Players said the match embodied soccer’s global spirit, a sport that unites people across borders.
FIFA, which represents more than 200 member associations worldwide, said the record was a celebration of its international diversity.
“At the heart of it is the fact that we recognized we could do something that celebrates our diversity,” said Solomon Mudege, a Zimbabwe native who heads FIFA’s Development Programs for Africa.
Both men and women took part, and organizers made sure the inclusion criteria were met.
Passports from dozens of nations lined the referee’s table, symbolizing the event’s message that football belongs to everyone, everywhere.
The new record surpasses the previous mark set in 2019 by the UK-based group Equal Playing Field.
The game took place in Rabat, where FIFA is establishing a new regional hub ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
Morocco has already begun upgrading stadiums, transportation, and hospitality infrastructure in preparation for the tournament.
“Football involves the entire world,” said Fatou Camara, a Mali native and FIFA development manager in Africa.
