A high-powered FIFA delegation led by Head Of Competitions Jamie Yarza will be visiting India between February 14 to 20 to evaluate the preparations for next year's U-17 World Cup.
In what will be the first full inspection from FIFA, they will be inspecting each of the six stadiums and all the designated training sites in each city to evaluate India's preparation for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in September-October next year.
Besides Yarza, the FIFA dignitaries will include FIFA Competitions Department Tracy Lu, FIFA Competitions Department Felipe Restrepo, FIFA Competitions Department Vijay Parthasarathy, FIFA Marketing Christina Hollerl, FIFA Media Jochem Steinhoff, FIFA TV Paul Calder, FIFA Ticketing Jean Pierre Koeltgen, FIFA Senior Development Manager Mike Pfister and FIFA Development Officer Shaji Prabhakaran.
India had bagged the hosting rights of the U-17 World Cup in December, 2013. This will be the first time India will host an international football competition at a worldwide level.
FIFA Inspection schedule:
15th February - Kochi, 16th February - Goa, 17th February - Mumbai, 18th February - Kolkata, 19th February - Guwahati and 20th February - New Delhi.
Del Nero's predecessor Jose Maria Marin is under house
arrest in New York after being extradited from Switzerland. Del Nero was in Zurich at the time of Marin's arrest in May 2015, but left the country almost immediately to return to Brazil and he has not been back since.
Infantino did not respond to questions about whether he still has confidence in Del Nero to run soccer in Brazil, or whether the Brazilian should be handing himself over to U.S. authorities.
Infantino said he did not "evaluate the CBF's management model or its president" during the trip but said all federations should implement reforms to enhance "transparency and good governance".
"What I do stand for when it comes to any country -- including a big nation like Brazil -- is modern and transparent management, focused on developing football at every level and with a high degree of rigor and seriousness," Infantino said.
"This standard must be applied everywhere, and Brazil, as the five-time world champions that it is, must set an example for South America and the whole world."
Infantino was informed while in Brazil that he would not face ethics charges for taking offers of private flights to visit Pope Francis at the Vatican, Vladimir Putin in Moscow and the Emir of Qatar.
