Infantino to make first visit as Fifa president

Fifa president Gianni Infantino will be in Singapore for the Fifa Executive Football Summit from Dec 6-8.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino will be in Singapore for the Fifa Executive Football Summit from Dec 6-8. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Gianni Infantino, president of world football governing body Fifa, will be in Singapore next month to attend a football summit.

It will be his first official visit here since being elected in February. The 46-year-old Swiss replaced long-time former president Sepp Blatter.

Yesterday, a Football Association of Singapore (FAS) spokesman said: "Mr Gianni Infantino will be in Singapore for the Fifa Executive Football Summit from Dec 6-8.

"We are working with Fifa to provide organisational support for the summit."

According to a post on the Football Federation Australia (FFA) website, Infantino will come to Singapore after a spell in Sydney, after receiving a personal invitation from FFA chief Steve Lowy.

He will be meeting senior Australian government representatives and attend round-table discussions during his Sydney stay.

Infantino will also squeeze in a visit to Papua New Guinea for the Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup final on Dec 3.

His visit to the Republic comes amid an important period for the FAS, which has to hold its first-ever election of office bearers by May next year.

This, after Fifa said an article in the previous FAS constitution went against its directive which forbids third-party influence in a country's football association.

The constitution has since been amended. Last week, it was approved by FAS members at an extraordinary general meeting.

The FAS is now governed by an provisional seven-member council, led by former vice-president Lim Kia Tong, who was appointed as interim president.

Lim has strong ties with Fifa, and has been the deputy chairman of its disciplinary committee since May 2013.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 18, 2016, with the headline Infantino to make first visit as Fifa president. Subscribe