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FIFA BOSS INFANTINO COMING TODAY

23/02/2017 01:06:00 BY ASHMOND NZIMA

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MBABANE – FIFA boss Gianni Infantino will be in the country today. The celebrated global football president’s plane is set to touch down at Matsapha International Airport at 3:40pm. He is coming to the country on a courtesy call to Their Majesties.

King’s Chief Protocol Officer Mphiwa Dlamini confirmed the visit, saying football officials would also get an opportunity to get to see the 46-year-old top soccer administrator.

Infantino, who was elected into the hottest seat in world football in February last year, is currently attending an African football summit in South Africa. He has invited all 54 African national football association presidents to Johannesburg for two days of meetings, which started on Tuesday. Organisers of the two-day summit said Infantino would explain changes to the global game, including expanding the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026. Under the 48-team format, there has been media speculation that Africa could get up to nine slots.

The likeable football administrator is also said to be also sharing ideas on football development projects as he tours the continent.
After his stop in the country, the Swiss-Italian will leave for Harare to attend the birthday party of Zimbabwe football chief Philip Chiyangwa set for tomorrow. The latter is also president of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA). Meanwhile, Infantino was a member of FIFA’s Reform Committee on October 26, 2015.

He received the backing of the UEFA Executive Committee to stand for the position of president in the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress. On the same day, he confirmed his candidacy and submitted the required declarations of support. He had initially promised to expand the FIFA World Cup to 40 teams. On February 26, 2016, he was elected FIFA President for a period of three years. With his election, he became the first Italian to hold the presidency of FIFA.