FIFA President Gianni Infantino has given his support to resumption of football activities across Africa, after a two day visit to Cameroon where the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is being hosted in three Cameroon cities from 16 January until 7 February 2021, is ongoing.
Infantino, who met with dignitaries of the country and key officials from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Cameroonian Football Association (Fecafoot), said the visit was partly to provide President Paul Biya with an update in relation to FIFA’s role in supporting football, not only in Cameroon, but also across Africa and globally.
“Equally, meeting with CAF and Fecafoot officials, it was important to show FIFA’s support to football in Cameroon and across the African continent, especially as the African Nations Championship just kicked off, the first international tournament being played in 2021 and spectators are attending matches according to the safety protocols which have been established. It sends an important message to have football restarting in Africa, particularly in an indisputable football country such as Cameroon,” the FIFA president said.
The event has also received support from FIFA as, since October 2020, CAF has been using FIFA’s COVID Relief Fund grant (USD 2 million) to restart their competitions, with the medical protocols, flights and accommodation for match officials at CHAN being subsidised through this funding.
