June 8 – FIFA will open an office in Paris to move a part of its operations out of Zurich. The world governing body is expected to formally announce the new office later this week.
The Paris office will be located in the Hotel de la Marine in the French capital, marking a return by FIFA to its historical roots – FIFA was founded in 1904 in Paris. Plans for a new office were first discussed in 2019 and consolidated when the French head of state met Infantino last year.
The ruling body wants to transfer a part of its operations to Paris, a city that is seen as more global than Zurich and politically closer to the African continent, with FIFA keen on strengthening ties with the African game and its political institutions.
The choice for Hotel de Marine, near the Place De La Concorde, is no coincidence. The stately building has under gone a four-year, €132 million renovation and will be reopened on Saturday. The renovations were partly funded by Qatar.
The opening of the office aligns with Infantino’s vision for an ever-more global FIFA. In Amsterdam, the world federation is due to open the Clearing House, which will serve as a bank in handling transfer-related payments from 2022.
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