FIFA president expects S. Korea to successfully host U-20 World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) and Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu hold the KFA pennant during a press conference in Seoul on April 27, 2016.

SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he expects South Korea to stage a successful 2017 U-20 World Cup with the people’s great passion for football.

At a press conference in Seoul, Infantino said that it will be a “fantastic” U-20 World Cup thanks to South Koreans’ enthusiasm for the sport. The tournament with 24 nations will be played from May 20 to June 11, 2017, in six cities — Cheonan, Daejeon, Incheon, Jeju, Jeonju and Suwon.

“Everything from the organizing point of the view, it will be done perfectly and I’m 100 percent sure of that,” Infantino said. “But the additional element is the passion of people which will boost the additional performance of the players.”

Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu said that the country is ready to deliver a successful tournament. Chung is also the head of the U-20 World Cup organizing committee.

“We are committed to delivering the successful U-20 World Cup, one of FIFA’s top competitions,” Chung said. “I hope for your support for the development of Korean football.”

Infantino is on his first visit to South Korea since he was elected as FIFA president in February. This was also the first visit to South Korea by a FIFA chief since his predecessor Sepp Blatter in November 2010.

Infantino will leave for Bangkok Thursday for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Football Association of Thailand.

The 46-year-old Swiss-Italian said South Korea is a “very important country” for FIFA as he vowed to support the country’s effort to develop football.

“Korea is a great football country,” he said. “The U-20 World Cup here will boost the football development here and bring Koreans together.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during a press conference in Seoul on April 27, 2016.

Infantino also said he will help the two Koreas “come together” through football. The former general secretary at the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said that having South Korea and North Korea play frequent matches will further stress the message of what football is about.

“Sometimes dreams can come true and things can become a reality,” he said. “I’m ready to help and assist whatever way is necessary.”

In his election campaign, Infantino proposed the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 40 nations. He said up to six Asian countries could compete at the quadrennial football tournament from 2026 if his plan is approved by FIFA members. Currently, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is given 4.5 slots for the World Cup.

“I’m not a dictator and I will have to try to convince everyone,” he said of the proposal. “I believe that it is important to increase the size of the number of teams in the World Cup because today’s football is not only about Europe or South America.”

When asked about the level of Asian football, Infantino said it is “very good,” and FIFA experts will sit down together and define the best ways to develop football around the world.

“Football development is not something that can be improvised,” he said. “I don’t think you should judge the whole continent just from the result of the one single World Cup.”

Infantino emphasized that his first priority as the world football chief has been to “bring back football to FIFA and FIFA to bring football to the world.”

“FIFA went through a difficult time, but it has changed,” he said. “We will bring back the core of the business of FIFA, which is football.”

Infantino is scheduled to have dinner with officials from the Hyundai Motor Group later Wednesday and to explain his vision as the new FIFA leader. Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s two largest automakers and affiliates of the group, are the official automotive partners of FIFA.

Hyundai Motor began its alliance with FIFA in 1999, three years before South Korea co-hosted the World Cup with Japan, and in 2007 Hyundai and Kia both signed on with FIFA. In 2010, they extended their partnership to 2022.

“I will present them my vision and my way of running FIFA as a new elected leader,” he said. “We are speaking about a new FIFA and we will rebuild the trust of everyone.”

Infantino, however, will not meet with former FIFA Vice President and FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon during his stay in South Korea, a KFA official said. Chung, also the honorary president of the KFA, is a younger brother of Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo and an older cousin of the KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.

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