Around 15,000 people are expected to attend the opening match of the Under-20 Women's World Cup on Saturday, but it is not yet clear whether FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be among those present.
The tournament, which runs in Poland until September 27, is the first major competition organized by FIFA since the administrative crisis triggered by Infantino's proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup rights to private investors.
Infantino withdrew the proposal on July 31 after strong opposition from UEFA and other stakeholders.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan involved transferring the commercial rights associated with FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup, to a new subsidiary, with private investors paying approximately $4.2 billion for a stake in a total company valuation of up to $20 billion.
Infantino, 56, has since faced calls from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) to resign, although he has announced that he will seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress meeting in March 2027.
No candidate has officially announced their candidacy yet, but UEFA said it would work with other continental federations to ensure that an alternative is provided that member associations trust.
The Under-20 Women's World Cup is an important tournament for the development of women's football, and many of its players hope to eventually participate in the senior Women's World Cup in Brazil next year.
The opening day will feature a match between hosts Poland and Argentina, before Mexico meets Benin, with both matches taking place in Katowice.
As of Friday, FIFA had not been able to confirm whether Infantino would attend the opening two matches.
Although he has not always attended the opening matches of FIFA's age-group tournaments, Infantino has remained a strong presence since the collapse of the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" proposal.
The Swiss official attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris last month, and three days later watched Vietnam clinch the ASEAN Championship title against Thailand in Hanoi.
Infantino also visited the Dominican Republic during the Caribbean Football Union Under-14 Championship, even though CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani asked him to stay away, arguing that the controversy surrounding the FIFA president could overshadow the youth event.
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