FIFA will continue to support Rwanda in its plans to take the game of football to another level, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said. Infantino made the remarks on Saturday after laying the foundation stone for the construction of a four-star FERWAFA hotel in Remera.

He also urged Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) to use the proposed Rwf3.8 billion facility to generate more income to develop the game in the country.

The Swiss arrived in Rwanda on Saturday for a two-day high profile visit which saw him attend the national football league match between Rayon Sports and Police at Amahoro National Stadium. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

"We laid the foundation stone of the FERWAFA Hotel and this project will leave an indelible mark in the campaign to develop the sport in Rwanda and will generate income for football,” said the former secretary general of UEFA.

Infantino noted that the hotel is among the many projects that FIFA is happy to support with an aim of ensuring that the development of football becomes a reality not only in Rwanda but also other parts of the world.

"FIFA will continue to support Rwanda in its plans to take the game to another level,” he said before adding, "I want to thank the country’s leadership in developing the sport. Rwanda has potential to become a powerful sporting nation and such projects will help to ensure that this ambition is attained.”

In particular the FIFA president thanked President Paul Kagame, who he noted is a staunch football fan, who has shown his passion and love for the game especially in his annual commitment of the CECAFA Kagame Cup sponsorship.

On Sunday, Infantino visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi and paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi before leaving the country later in the afternoon.

FIFA is financing 65% of the total cost of FERWAFA Hotel construction while an additional financial support is being raised from other local banking partners.

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

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