Gboyega Akinsanmi
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday received FIFA President, Mr. Gianni Infantino, urging the football association to consider Lagos as preferred location for football project.
He received the FIFA president alongside the CAF President, Mr. Ahmed Ahmad, FIFA Secretary-General, Mr. Fatimah Diouf-Samora and, NFF President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick among others.
At the reception, Ambode explained that the establishment of the project in Lagos would further boost football development in the continent.
The governor said Lagos “has the potentials to host the project. Nigeria is very strong in youth soccer, urging that to further boost it, the global football association should site it project in Lagos.
“And has you decides the location for the next FIFA projects, Lagos stands to welcome all your projects. We have the population, enthusiastic and tourism potentials to receive any of your project.”
While expressing his delight at the selection of Lagos for the FIFA summit, Ambode said the summit would apparently boost the standard of the game in the country.
“We are delighted that Lagos is considered as the second African city to host the summit aimed at discussing football development. It is very important to us because soccer is a major sport in the state and contributes to its developments.”
Also at the meeting, Infantino said the summit would afford the body to discuss and decide new strategies to improve the game especially youth football.
He said: “We are here to discuss with CAF and NFF few projects that will help improve standard of football in the country.
“Also at the summit, we will be discussing strategies on how to improve the standard of youth and female football development. I know that Nigeria is a major force in the Africa,” he added.
Infantino stated that the summit was a strategy developed by FIFA’s, to discuss with every stakeholder on solutions confronting the game globally.