The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup begins in Poland on Saturday, with around 15,000 fans expected to attend the opening matches.
The tournament will run until September 27 and brings together 24 teams from all six FIFA confederations.
However, uncertainty remains over whether FIFA President Gianni Infantino will attend the opening games.
FIFA had not confirmed his presence as of Friday.
Infantino Faces Growing Pressure
The Poland tournament is the first major FIFA competition since a governance dispute erupted over Infantino’s proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
The proposal aimed to sell an outside stake in commercial rights connected to major FIFA competitions.
The plan reportedly valued the business at around $20 billion, with investors expected to contribute about $4.2 billion for a stake.
The proposal faced strong opposition from UEFA and other football stakeholders.
Infantino abandoned the plan on July 31.
The FIFA president has since faced calls to resign from several regional football confederations, including UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF.
Despite the controversy, Infantino has confirmed that he will seek a fourth term as FIFA president at the FIFA Congress in March 2027.
No formal challenger has yet announced a candidacy.
UEFA, however, has indicated that it will work with other confederations to provide member associations with an alternative candidate.
Poland Opens Tournament Against Argentina
The U-20 Women’s World Cup is considered an important development competition for women’s football.
Many players competing in Poland could eventually progress to senior-level international football.
The opening day will feature hosts Poland against Argentina.
Mexico will also face Benin on Saturday.
Both opening matches will take place in Katowice.
The tournament will feature 24 teams representing all six regional football confederations.
North Korea enters the competition as defending champion after winning the 2024 edition.
The team was placed among the top seeds alongside hosts Poland, Japan, Spain, Brazil and France.
New FIFA Rule Promotes Women Coaches
FIFA has introduced a new coaching requirement for its women’s competitions this year.
Under the new regulations, every participating team must have a woman serving as either head coach or assistant coach.
The rule is aimed at increasing opportunities for women in football coaching and leadership positions.
The tournament is also expected to provide a platform for young players preparing for higher levels of international competition.
Infantino has remained highly visible at football events since the FIFA Forward Enterprise controversy emerged.
He attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris last month.
He later travelled to Hanoi to watch Vietnam win the ASEAN Championship against Thailand.
He also visited the Dominican Republic while a Caribbean Football Union Under-14 tournament was taking place.
That visit came despite CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani asking Infantino to stay away, arguing that the FIFA controversy could overshadow the youth event.
Montagliani has been mentioned as a possible challenger to Infantino in the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
However, he has not formally declared his candidacy.
The deadline for candidates to enter the race is November 18.
