FIFA President Gianni Infantino has raised the FIFA flag above the organisation’s office in Paris, France, during a special ceremony to mark the presence of world football’s governing body in the city in which it was founded in 1904.

FIFA has had a bureau in Paris since 2021, and the FIFA flag now flies alongside that of global motorsports body Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) on a building that houses the FIFA office and overlooks the historic Place de la Concorde in the historic city centre.

“We are going to raise the FIFA flag on this building to mark our presence and to mark the world’s presence because, as we say, football unites the world, and we want to unite it here, where this beautiful organisation was created, in this iconic building, in this magnificent square,” the FIFA President said at the ceremony, which was attended by French Football Federation (FFF) President Philippe Diallo, FIFA Legends Youri Djorkaeff and Houssine Kharja, alongside other dignitaries and FIFA staff members.

“Of course, this year is the year of the FIFA World Cup. It’s a year that will, hopefully, give us a moment to share and that will unite us. We hope that it will also bring a moment of peace to the world. It’s important because football is magical. We mentioned that there are 211 countries (in FIFA). Here, in Paris, we have the FIFA Member Associations Division. This division is at the heart of what happens in all 211 countries in terms of football development, the impact of football, youth, women, boys, and girls. This is where it all happens.”

Mr Infantino also noted the FIFA Clearing House (FCH) strengthens historic ties with Paris, as it officially began operating in November 2022, and remains fundamental to FIFA’s commitment to introduce changes to the football transfer system and ensures clubs are rewarded for developing young players.

“Aside from the Member Associations Division, we also have another FIFA body, the FIFA Clearing House, which is a very, very important organisation, especially nowadays, because it guarantees funding for the development of young players and for youth academies around the world,” explained Mr Infantino, who thanked the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, for his help in establishing the FCH in the city.

“The FIFA Clearing House is doing crucial work for the future, not just on behalf of FIFA but on behalf of global football, because it guarantees that development can take place in every corner of the world. And that starts here. It starts here, and that’s why Paris, which was home to the original FIFA headquarters, now plays a central role in some of our most important activities around the world.”

Following the flag-raising ceremony, Mr Infantino joined FIFA colleagues to mark the tenth anniversary of his election as FIFA President, which he celebrated on 26 February 2026.