Shortly after an energetic opening ceremony that featured Hollywood great Morgan Freeman and South Korean pop star Jung Kook, FIFA president Gianni Infantino declared, “let the show begin.” However, Qatar made history as the first World Cup Host to lose an opening after Enner Valencia netted twice.
Infantino, 52, became head of world football’s governing body when he succeeded Sepp Blatter in 2016. The Swiss-Italian was then re-elected until 2023 in 2019.
About 180 people were also hurt after Arema FC’s loss to rivals Persebaya Surabaya in East Java on Saturday.
In power at the NFF since 2014, Pinnick, a strong ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has hardly been a beacon of good governance having frequently been accused of corruption.
The charges triggered their downfall from the summit of global football.
“Because we are all united here and the members of FIFA are here, I wanted to tell you first,” the FIFA boss said.
The 52-year-old asked delegates to think of those who have lost their lives in the pandemic and in military conflicts across the whole world before observing a minute’s silence.
The prospects of those plans coming to fruition now appear over after Infantino told the FIFA Congress, with 211 member-associations in attendance, that the governing body never proposed the changes.
Officials of CAF and FIFA will also be participating in the friendly match.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced its ruling in the 75-year-old’s favour on Saturday, declaring there was “insufficient evidence” to support FIFA’s allegations of commercial malpractice.
The leader of football’s world governing body spoke in support of his organisation’s calendar reforms, which include plans for biennial World Cups, at the Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
Earlier this month, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said he believes he has the majority backing to increase the frequency of football’s showpiece tournament from four years to every two.
Football’s world governing body is proposing an overhaul of international football, including the World Cup being played every two years rather than four.
Motsepe arrived in the country on Monday as concerns rise over health protocols and the impact on the image of the African game were there to be a mass outbreak of Covid-19 virus infections during the tournament, plus growing concerns over the preparedness of the host country, saw the CAF executive committee meet on Sunday to consider a proposal to cancel or postpone the event.
“This past year, which has presented us with many challenges, has nevertheless shown and highlighted the exemplary unity and solidarity of the football world, and I can only reiterate my sincere thanks to you for your efforts, work and contribution within the FIFA Council,” Infantino wrote in a letter personally signed by him to a fellow Member of the FIFA Council.
But Infantino nonetheless said he thought it was possible to reach a compromise position before the virtual global FIFA summit being convened in late December.
Dare’s courtesy call was to show gratitude to the billionaire businessman for his massive investments in the Nigerian youth as well as in the development of sports infrastructure in the country.
Infantino gave the insight when the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, took him on a tour.
Infantino led a delegation from FIFA to visit President Buhari at the State House in Abuja on Thursday. He had earlier attended the opening ceremony of the Aisha Buhari Cup in Lagos on Wednesday.
She made the call while receiving the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino at the State House on Thursday 16th September 2021.
