FIFA president Gianni Infantino has met Cameroon president Paul Biya to discuss football development in the central African country.
Infantino met Biya in Yaoundé where the Africa Nations Championship is set to take place from 16 January to 7 February 2021.
He praised Cameroon’s preparations for the big event during the talks that were also attended by Confederation of African Football acting president Constant Omari and Cameroon’s football legend Samuel Etoo.
“The infrastructure in Cameroon has made incredible steps forward. It will be more so next year with the organization of the Africa Cup of Nations,” Infantino told reporters after meeting Biya.
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations was supposed to be hosted in Cameroon but moved to January 2022 and will end in February, a year later than the initial date, after Covid-19 disrupted the global football calendar.
“It is important in the period of economic crisis, of the pandemic to think about the youths, to think about what makes the hearts of the people in Cameroon vibrate, and this is football. Therefore, to invest in football infrastructure is extremely positive,” Infantino added.
Cameroon president Paul Biya was delighted to meet Infantino as the two leaders held talks for the first time since Infantino became FIFA president.
“Delighted to meet today with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the eve of the opening of the 2020 Africa Nations Championship,” President Biya wrote.
“We discussed the development of football in Cameroon in particular and in the world at large.”
Cameroon plays in Group A of the African Nations Championship alongside Zimbabwe, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Indomitable Lions will face Zimbabwe in the opening match at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on Saturday, with Infantino expected to attend the match.
The competition will also be played in Limbe and Douala where two turfs of Japoma Stadium and Stade de la Reunification hosting the matches.
Cameroon are making their fourth appearance at the event while their opponents Zimbabwe are making their fifth appearance, and will be looking to improve on a record of three wins in 15 matches at the competition.
