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FIFA chief Infantino to attend Chile-Portugal 2017 Confederations Cup semis match in Kazan

The match will also be attended by FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko

FIFA President Gianni Infantino EPA/STRINGER

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

© EPA/STRINGER

MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/. The first semi-final match of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup kicks off on Wednesday in Russia’s Kazan between Chile and Portugal and will be attended by high-ranking officials from the global governing body of football as well as from the Russian government.

The match at the over 41,500-seat capacity Kazan Arena in the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) and will be the fourth international fixture between Portugal and Chile with the European team remaining unbeaten with two victories and one draw in the past.

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"The first semi-final of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 will feature a list of very special guests," FIFA said in its statement on Wednesday.

"FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura will both join Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko in the tribune of the Kazan Arena as Portugal takes on Chile."

"They will be accompanied by a group of FIFA Legends, including former Portuguese international Maniche, 2018 FIFA World Cup ambassador Alexey Smertin and former Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc."

Reigning UEFA and CONMEBOL Champions, Portugal and Chile respectively, have the record of the tightest defense at this FIFA tournament as the teams having conceded each only two goals throughout their journey to the knock-out stage.

Playing in Group A, the UEFA champions Portugal or often referred to as the Lusitanians, first enjoyed 2-2 draw against Mexico, then went past by hosts Russia 1-0 and then creamed team New Zealand with 4-0 win.

Group B’s Chile began its victorious path to the semi-final stage with 2-0 victory over Cameroon, then finished the match against Germany with 1-1 draw and secured another 1-1 draw against Australia.

In the other semi-final match of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, reigning world champions Germany will take on team Mexico on Thursday at the Fisht Stadium in Russia’s southern resort city of Sochi. The game is scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT).

Read also

FIFA has no complaints on Confederations Cup’s organization so far — official

The match for the third place of this tournament will be held at Spartak Arena in Moscow on Sunday, July 2, at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time (12:00 GMT), while the final match for the champion’s title is scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) in Russia’s second largest city of Saint Petersburg, which was also the venue for the opening of this championship.

This year’s FIFA Confederations Cup is held between June 17 and July 2 at four stadiums in Russia and they are Spartak Stadium in Moscow, St. Petersburg Stadium, Fisht Stadium in Sochi and the Kazan Arena in Kazan.

Participants in the 2017 Confederations Cup are hosts Russia, 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions Germany, 2015 Copa America Champions Chile, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Champion Australia, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, 2016 UEFA Euro Cup champs Portugal, OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup victors New Zealand and 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Champion Cameroon.

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