Infantino: I feel at home… and FIFA will continue to support Lebanese football.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his delight at his visit to Lebanon, stressing the importance of continuing joint work with Lebanese officials to promote the development of football and its role in building society.
In a post on his Instagram account, Infantino indicated that he was pleased to meet again with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut, where they continued the discussions that began last year about the development of football in Lebanon, and the role that the game can play in promoting social cohesion.
He explained that on this special day, he received his Lebanese passport after being granted Lebanese citizenship, noting that the conversation also touched on the project to build a new football stadium in Lebanon, and on football’s ability to unite and bring people together, in addition to its role in education and promoting social solidarity.
The FIFA president affirmed that he feels at home in Lebanon, stressing the cooperation with the Lebanese presidency, the Lebanese Football Association, the government, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with the aim of providing greater opportunities for fans of the game to enjoy and develop football in the country.
In another post, Infantino described his meetings in Beirut as fruitful, where he met with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Interior Minister Ahmed Hajjar, and Minister of Youth and Sports Noura Bayrakdarian, to discuss the next steps for developing football in Lebanon.
He also noted that he was honored to receive the Lebanese passport and a commemorative medal on this occasion, in the presence of the President of the Lebanese Football Federation, Hashem Haidar, and the Secretary General, Jihad Al-Shaf.
According to Infantino, the meetings addressed a number of future projects, most notably the construction of a new stadium in Lebanon, the “FIFA Arena” mini-stadium initiatives, the “FIFA Football for Schools” program, in addition to continuing support through the “FIFA Forward” program to develop infrastructure and competitions, and expanding women’s football development programs to create greater opportunities for young people in various Lebanese regions.
Infantino concluded by emphasizing that football has the power to unite the world, noting that joint efforts will continue to enhance the game's presence and development in Lebanon.