Foot: part of FIFA moves to Paris to get closer to Africa
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron.
AFP - FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT
Text by: Alejandro Valente
2 min
The International Football Federation (FIFA) should formalize on June 10, 2021 the move of part of its headquarters from Zurich to Paris.
It is the Hôtel de la Marine, opposite the Place de la Concorde, which will be inaugurated this Thursday morning by Emmanuel Macron after long renovations, which will soon welcome around a hundred FIFA staff.
And this move would have a lot to do with Africa ...
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It is a bit of a homecoming that looms with the relocation of part of the International Football Federation (FIFA) to Paris.
Established in Zurich (Switzerland) since 1935, FIFA will return, at least partially, to the city where it was born, since it was in Paris that it was founded in 1904, a few hundred meters from the Place de la Concorde.
More air links with Africa
Why this return to Paris?
In the entourage of FIFA, it is a question of essentially practical reasons.
The French capital would bring the parent company of football closer to African federations.
At a time when, under the leadership of Gianni Infantino, the links between FIFA and CAF, the African Football Confederation, are becoming increasingly close, this Parisian branch would greatly facilitate exchanges, thanks in particular to the numerous air links with Africa.
Much more numerous in any case than from Zurich.
And then, this return to Paris also responds to a common desire of Gianni Infantino and Emmanuel Macron to defend the Francophonie within FIFA.
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