Infantino to attend Under-20 Women's World Cup opener in Katowice

KATOWICE, Poland, Sept 5 : FIFA President Gianni Infantino will attend the opening match of the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Katowice on Saturday, the first tournament organised by world soccer's ruling body since his abandoned proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup.

The Swiss administrator called off the plan, which valued the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments at $20 billion, in late July in the face of a fierce backlash from regional governing bodies including Europe's UEFA and major stakeholders in the sport.

A spokesperson for the Polish Football Association confirmed the embattled Infantino would be at the opening game. Some 15,000 people are expected to attend the first two matches on Saturday.

The event is an important development tournament in the women's game, with many of the players hoping to feature at the senior Women's World Cup in Brazil next year.

Poland face Argentina and Mexico play Benin in Katowice on the opening day.

(Writing by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)