FIFA president's Botswana visit off
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday November 11, 2025 14:02
Last month, the Botswana Football Association (BFA) through a statement, announced that the global sports governing body’s boss will visit the country from November 9 to 11. Infantino did not arrive in the country on Sunday as expected. BFA CEO, Mfolo Mfolo told Sport Monitor the visit has been called off.
Instead, the FIFA president was in Morocco over the weekend ahead of the North African nation's hosting the Under-17 Women's World Cup.
Mfolo did not divulge further details about the cancelled trip while FIFA had not responded to Sport Monitor inquiries regarding Infantino's trip.
BFA had said Infantino was due to meet the association and government officials to 'deliberate on football development programmes, capacity building initiatives and areas of strategic collaboration.
Further, the BFA had indicated that the government had been notified about Infantino's visit and a local organising committee would be put in place for the high profile arrival.
'The FIFA president will be accorded full VIP protocol status in line with the significance of this occasion,' the BFA had said.
The last FIFA president to visit Botswana was Sepp Blatter in 2013.
Blatter officiated at the opening of some buildings at Lekidi Centre including the hostels and other FIFA funded programmes.
Meanwhile, the BFA is hosting a two-day FIFA Club Professionalisation and Management workshop.
Opening the workshop yesterday, BFA president, Tariq Babitseng said the gathering comes at a critical stage for Botswana football.
'This programme is not just a workshop but a commitment to equip every club represented here with a mindset and fools to run football as a sustainable business and a social force that unites communities,' he said.
FIFA regional development officer, David Fani said by hosting the workshop, BFA had shown its commitment to develop the clubs.
'Through this initiative, it is expected that clubs will realise increased professionalism, good governance and better financial management,' he said.
Fani said the ultimate aim of the FIFA project is to create a 'competitive ecosystem' rather than have an unlevel playing field.