The President of the world football governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino is set to travel to Rwanda on February 24 in his first high-profile visit that will see him lay a foundation stone on the construction of FERWAFA Village Phase 1. 

The development was confirmed by local governing football body FERWAFA in a statement released on Wednesday evening. 

The FERWAFA Village, whose construction works are expected to take 18 months, is estimated to cost Rwf3.85 billion. 

The Swiss lawyer is scheduled to jet in Friday night next week and will be the guest of honour at a Foundation-laying ceremony of the FERWAFA recreation facility on Saturday, February 25, 2017. 

The facility, according to the football body, will have a hotel, a gymnasium and mini-pitches for volleyball, basketball and football. 

In the statement, FERWAFA President Vincent Nzamwita is quoted as saying; "it is a great honour to our nation and the region at large to host FIFA President in Kigali. This visit shows that he has countless love for our country and FERWAFA,” 

We have to do everything possible to benefit from his visit in bid to further develop Rwandan football to a pleasing level, he added. 

"We cherish all this to H.E President Paul Kagame who loves football and has played a big role to ensure that we have achieved many milestones with the visit of FIFA President inclusive. So let’s work harder to achieve our vision,” added Nzamwita. 

The FIFA boss will first grace the world football governing body’s executive summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 21 and 23, and then fly to Harare, Zimbabwe to grace the COSAFA Presidency celebrations organized by ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa before heading to Kigali later in the evening of February 24, 2017. 

The FERWAFA hotel is part of the FIFA development programme aimed at helping developing countries to establish infrastructure and facilities to boost the growth of the game as well as creating long lasting and sustainable income generation activities. 

FIFA will finance 65% of the total cost while an additional financial support will be raised from other local banking partners. 

Upon completion, the hotel is expected to ease on the cost that the Ministry of Sports and Culture incur on national teams during residential training or accommodation for visiting national teams. 

FERWAFA is also expected to use the hotel for commercial purposes to generate income for different footballing activities.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw