FIFA president Gianni Infantino admits he would be open to NORTH KOREA hosting a World Cup

Gianni Infantino has admitted that North Korea could host a World Cup in the future because he wants to bring “real change”.

The FIFA president – who is about to be re-elected for a third term – revealed that any country is eligible to host an event, adding that his organization wants to help unite the world.

Infantino gave a lengthy speech ahead of the controversial Qatar World Cup on Sunday, in which he hit back at FIFA’s criticism of the organization of the tournament.

The Swiss-born president also admitted to visiting North Korea in the past in an attempt to gauge whether the country would be open to hosting a women’s tournament with neighboring South Korea.

“FIFA is a global football organization,” said Infantino. “We are football people, not politicians, and we want to bring people together.

‘Any country can organize an event. If North Korea wants to host something…

Gianni Infantino suggested that any country in the world could host a World Cup in the future

“I even went to North Korea a few years ago to ask the North Koreans if they were ready to host part of a Women’s World Cup with South Korea.

“Well, of course I wasn’t successful, but I’d go 100 more times if it helped.

‘Only engagement can bring real change. We are a global organization and want to remain an organization that unites the world.’

North Korea is ranked 112th in the world and has not appeared in football’s biggest tournament since South Africa 2010, their second appearance being England for the first time in 1966.

The secretive state, led by Kim Jong-un, has a tense relationship with South Korea and has recently stepped up ballistic testing around the peninsula.

The FIFA president suggested that only through ‘engagement’ football can change the world

North Korea is currently ranked 112th in the world and has made two World Cup outings

South Korea co-hosted the 2002 edition of the competition alongside Japan, while their northern neighbors have yet to host a major tournament.

Infantino’s comments come amid fierce backlash ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off on Sunday, with many pointing to human rights violations and the deaths of workers in Qatar in their criticism.

But he insisted supporters should focus on football rather than pointing out problems with the tournament.

Gianni Infantino lashed out at host country critics before appearing to compare his own experience to that of the marginalized

“I am still convinced that this World Cup will open the eyes of many people from the Western world to the Arab world,” he said.

“We live in the same world, we have to live together. We need to understand each other, but also understand that we are also different, with beliefs, different history, different backgrounds, but the same world. And we have to get along.

“So if you come here and see something wrong, say so, but also tell us how we can make it right, so maybe we can help.”

He said if Europe “really cares about the migrant workers,” they would follow Qatar in creating “legal channels” for them.