December 8 – FIFA has rebranded its museum with a new name and new look, dropping the ‘world’ from its title to now become ‘FIFA Museum’. The change is subtle but it reflects the current administration’s change of attitude and policy towards its heritage project.
The rebranding takes effect immediately with the museum refocussing its mission on “celebrating and safeguarding football heritage and culture globally”, said a FIFA press release.
The change in emphasis in the raison d’etre of the museum was highlighted by FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura who said: “This rebranding is a big milestone! It opens a new chapter for the important cultural work of the FIFA Museum on a global level.”,
It also marks a commitment to the heritage project that has not always found favour under FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s leadership which used it as a stick to beat former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and even filed a criminial complaint against Blatter and “other persons” over what FIFA said were museum project costs of CHF 500 million. FIFA supported its position arguing “that the previous FIFA administration poured CHF 140 million into renovating and refurbishing a building that the organisation doesn’t own, while also locking itself into a long-term rental agreement on unfavourable terms when compared to standard market rates, which, in total, will cost FIFA CHF 360 million by the date of expiration in 2045.”
Now FIFA seems to have to come to peace with the investment and, more importantly, identified a more integrated and cultural role for the museum. “We are looking forward to supporting the further development of this institution in their efforts to safeguard football heritage and culture for the game, for the fans and for the FIFA member associations,” said Samoura.
“The new brand identity, including its logo and colours have been designed to emphasize the close relationship between the museum and the world’s football governing body and its role as FIFA’s passionate, inspiring cultural institution in Zurich and abroad,” said FIFA.
The two main elements of the new logo are the ‘time wheel’ and the ‘center field of a football pitch’. “As FIFA’s dynamic platform, the museum, its exhibitions, as well as its cultural and educational programs, will not only focus history of football, but will also look at the present and into the future, exploring the global phenomenon of football culture,” said FIFA.
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