FIFA President Gianni Infantino has put the governing body’s global football development vision on display during a visit to Latvia, with youth football, infrastructure and wider access to the game at the centre of his engagements in Riga.
Infantino visited the Latvian capital where he met Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs and the country’s Under-15 national team ahead of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan.
His visit also included the inauguration of the new Latvian Football Federation (LFF) headquarters, a project supported through the FIFA Forward Programme.
The FIFA president’s meeting with Kulbergs focused on football’s role in society and the importance of making the game more accessible to young people, particularly those hoping to pursue football at different levels.
“I was honoured to meet Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to discuss football’s role in society and how FIFA aims to reach every young child with a football dream in this beautiful nation and around the world.”
“It was encouraging to have the support of Prime Minister Kulbergs, and his government, for our football development plans, which we will continue implementing together with the Latvian Football Federation.”
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President
Infantino also visited the Latvian U-15 team, who are preparing to participate in the first edition of FIFA’s new youth competition in Azerbaijan from October 24 to 30.
The tournament will feature teams from all 190 FIFA Member Associations, providing a global platform for young players from countries with different football traditions and levels of development.
U-15 World Cup reflects FIFA’s global approach
Infantino described the Latvian youngsters as future participants in a historic competition and stressed the value of international exposure at such an early stage of their development.
“This is what it is all about… the excitement and joy of the Latvia team as they prepare for the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026 – they will be part of history while gaining invaluable international exposure in meaningful, competitive games.”
“I had the chance to interact with the young prospects and it made me very happy to see their smiles. FIFA is about creating opportunities across all levels, everywhere in the world and we are proud to be able to facilitate this special tournament for children!”
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President
The Latvia visit therefore offered a practical illustration of Infantino’s emphasis on expanding football opportunities beyond the traditional major football nations.
Alongside the youth tournament, infrastructure formed another important part of his programme, with the new LFF headquarters representing FIFA’s financial support for football development in Latvia.
Infantino also met Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs and Economics Minister Viktors Valainis, with discussions including the development of football infrastructure and the possibility of a national stadium.
Valainis said Latvia would need appropriate infrastructure if it is to regularly host major international sporting events, while stressing that any future stadium should also be economically viable and useful for other sports, cultural and international events.
The focus on development comes against the backdrop of criticism directed at Infantino from sections of the football fraternity over FIFA’s proposed Forward Enterprise, a commercial initiative that was eventually abandoned following scrutiny and opposition.
In Latvia, however, Infantino’s public message centred on the developmental side of FIFA’s work, with the U-15 tournament and investment in football structures providing tangible examples of the organisation’s stated ambition to create opportunities across the global game.
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