FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently visited American Samoa as part of a planned trip to promote soccer in the Pacific Islands.
FIFA stands for Fédération internationale de football association. It is an international organization that oversees association football, futsal and beach soccer.
According to an article from FIFA, the organization is attempting to help improve soccer-related facilities and resources in the Pacific Islands through a project called FIFA Forward.
On July 19, the organization announced at the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Congress that Infantino would visit several member associations in the Pacific Islands.
During his visit to American Samoa, the FIFA president met with American Samoa Lieutenant Governor Talauega Eleasalo Va’alele Ale and the President of Football Federation American Samoa (FFAS) Alex Godinet.
“We are here, of course, to help develop the game, but as well to invest in the game,” Infantino said. “For us, American Samoa is one of our 211 member associations. There are no big and no small countries in FIFA.”
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is currently underway in Australia and New Zealand. Some teams have been making efforts to acknowledge the indigenous cultures in the two countries.
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