Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) top officials, led by the president, Vincent Nzamwita, are in Mexico for the 66th Congress of the world football-governing body, FIFA.

The Congress will start on Friday, at the Centro Banamex, and will bring together all the 209 member associations. Governance reforms approved by the Extraordinary Congress in February and FIFA’s plans to enhance football development will be high on the agenda.

"After going through some uneasy times, I truly believe that the organization is on the verge of an exciting new era and that we can unite to work towards our common goal of developing football across the globe and at all levels," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement released on Monday.

His leadership must also deal with other problems, including the chronic financial difficulties and poor administration seen in many parts of the world, far from the glitter of competitions like the Champions League and top clubs such as Barcelona.

The congress also faces prickly votes over the admission of Gibraltar and Kosovo that will take the world body to 211 members.

The former Serbian province of Kosovo narrowly won a vote at the UEFA congress last week to get membership of the European body.

Gibraltar, a British territory also claimed by Spain, had to go to the CAS after FIFA’s executive rejected its membership bid. CAS ordered FIFA to put Gibraltar’s case to a vote at the full congress.

Serbia has gathered strong support for its case while Spain opposed Gibraltar joining UEFA.

If admitted, Gibraltar and Kosovo hope to be allowed into European qualifying groups for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw