Pope Francis prays for World Cup in Qatar to be occasion for peace

The pontiff, a lifelong football fan, calls for the event to be an 'occasion for meeting and harmony for nations'

Pope Francis during his weekly general audience in St Peter Square at the Vatican on Wednesday. EPA

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Pope Francis gave the Fifa World Cup a shout-out on Wednesday and prayed for the Qatar tournament to be an occasion for harmony and peace in the world.

Francis is a life-long football fan and has long pushed sport as a way of promoting solidarity and fraternity.

Speaking at the end of his weekly Wednesday general audience, the Pope sent greetings to World Cup players, fans and spectators watching from afar.

“May this important event be an occasion for meeting and harmony for nations, favouring brotherhood and peace among peoples. Let’s pray for peace in the world, and the end of all conflicts,” he said.

The 85-year-old Argentine is a card-holding fan of the Buenos Aires club San Lorenzo.