FIFA
Saturday 18 December 2021, 11:00

Arabic proposed as official FIFA language

AL KHOR, QATAR - NOVEMBER 30: General view inside the stadium during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 Group A match between Qatar and Bahrain at Al Bayt Stadium on November 30, 2021 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Today marks the UN’s World Arabic Language Day, and the culmination of the inaugural FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™. In recognition of the importance of the Arabic language, which is spoken not only by the 450 million people that live in the more than 20 Arabic-speaking countries but also by millions of Arabs worldwide, the FIFA President will propose that Arabic becomes an official language of FIFA. The FIFA President’s proposal stems from long-term discussions with stakeholders in Qatar and those across the MENA region, and coincides with the conclusion of the FIFA Arab Cup, which successfully brought together 23 national teams in a celebration of football and unity across the Middle East and Arab world. Currently, the four FIFA languages are English, French, German and Spanish.