FIFA President Gianni Infantino will attend the opening match of the U-20 Women's World Cup in Katowice, Poland, BTA reports, citing Reuters. The tournament begins today, with hosts Poland facing Argentina, while Mexico will play Benin in the other match. Around 15,000 spectators are expected to attend the two matches on the first day of the championship.
Infantino's presence in Poland comes at a sensitive time for the world football headquarters. It is the first tournament organised by FIFA since the governing body abandoned a controversial plan to sell a share of the commercial rights to the World Cup and other tournaments at the headquarters.
The initial proposal valued the rights at around $20 billion but faced strong opposition from a number of football organisations. Among the most vocal critics was UEFA, which opposed the idea of changing the way FIFA's key tournaments are run and financed.
Infantino ultimately abandoned the project amid strong pressure from regional confederations and other football stakeholders. The Polish Football Association confirmed to Reuters that the FIFA president would be in Katowice for the start of the championship. The U-20 Women's World Cup is one of the most important tournaments on FIFA's calendar for the development of women's football. For young players, the competition is an opportunity to showcase themselves on the international stage, and for clubs and national teams - to track the next generation of talent.