Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge exchanged views with FIFA President Giovanni Infantino, Deputy Secretary General Alasdair Bell, and Arsene Wenger, Chief of Global Football Development.

The meeting focused on the co-operation between the Council of Europe and FIFA (2022-23), with an emphasis on safety & security at sports events (Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events CETS No. 218), and on “match-fixing” and manipulation of sports competitions (Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions CETS No. 215).

Human rights, integrity & good governance, safeguarding children & combatting sexual exploitation, fight against racism, promoting gender equality and GRECO’s expert-assistance in FIFA’s reform of the transfer-system were also part of the agenda.

The Chair of the Committee of Ministers-Rapporteur-group on Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment, Ambassador Fakhraddin Ismayilov, took part in the meeting.