Kick It Out campaigner Paul Elliott hopes the 2018 World Cup can improve attitudes to race in Russia for good.
FIFA recently disbanded its anti-racism task force, declaring the work complete despite ongoing concerns about discriminatory behaviour in Russia, where there have been numerous racist incidents at and around matches.
"It's an unbelievable sport, an unbelievable power," former Chelsea defender Elliott, representing anti-discrimination group Kick It Out, said at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London.
"By going to Russia, by going to Qatar you've got to use the power of football.
"Hopefully we can challenge some of the areas and address some of the areas around anti-discrimination, around homosexuality. And just say 'hey, people have to start looking beyond that'."
Elliott hopes the tournament can lead to "sustainable, measurable change".
Racist incidents in Russia have been one of the many talking points around the staging of the next World Cup.
Piara Powar, head of trans-European anti-discrimination group FARE, believes the Russian authorities and president Vladimir Putin will be so keen for the country to be cast in a positive light that such incidents will be stamped out.
"If they have big incidents of discrimination, they will be the talking point of the world," Powar said.
"All of the good things, the interesting capital that Putin wants to make out of this, will be undone.
"This will be a big opportunity for Putin. He'll know that."
Source: PA
