PRESIDENT Juan Carlos Varela facing widespread criticism for his delay in  naming new nominees for two vacant seats in Panama’s Supreme Court and for failing to react to an  institutional crisis  made time on  Saturday March 17 to host  hosted the president of the world  football (soccer) governing body (FIFA), at the presidential palace.

 Gianni Infantino was accompanied by the president of Concacaf, Victor Montagliani, and the president of the Panamanian Football Federation (Fepafut), Pedro Chaluja who witnessed the presentation to Varela of a football shirt.

The visit of the top man of FIFA to Panamanian comes as the national team limbers up for its preparatory matches prior to its first appearance in the World Cup finals, which are being played in Russia.

Varela famously (infamously according to business owners) declared a national holiday in the early hours of the morning after a Panama win over Costa Rica, propelled the team into the finals. Leaving the USA on the sidelines.

Panama's next preparatory game will be against Switzerland, on  Tuesday, March  27 in Lucerne.

Infantino addressed the importance of the implementation of VAR (video arbitration)  which will make its first appearance in a World Cup final saying that the system is here to stay and that, therefore, the 2018 World Cup will be "historic and exceptional".

Expect a large turnout. a bonus day for ticket scalpers and packed bars for a game in Panama. when the red shirts take on Northern  Ireland at the Rommel Fernandez   Sports Stadium on  Sunday, May 20.  The team will then head for Europe with games against Denmark. May 22  in Copenhagen and Norway. June 8 in Oslo,  the last game before the preliminary rounds

The World Cup in Russia runs from June 14- July 15.