On July 17, 2026, the themed event “One World, One Game, One Goal: Football as a Catalyst for Youth Mental Health and Well-Being” was successfully held at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Taking place on the eve of the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup Final, this global celebration was not only a landmark international occasion, but also a flagship initiative led by the UN Member States’ Friends of Football group and jointly organized by the UN Youth Office and the UN Office of Partnerships. The event brought together several hundred participants from across the UN system, permanent missions of Member States, governments, civil society, the private sector, the sports community, and youth representatives. As a key component of the UN Youth Office’s flagship initiative on Youth Mental Health and Well-Being, the event aimed to advance a shift from fragmented, individual approaches to mental health toward a holistic ecosystem model encompassing healthcare systems, education, community, digital spaces, and human connection — positioning sport, art, and culture as systemic forces supporting youth mental health.
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