AFC president Mohammad Bin Hammam will also accompany the world football supremo, who will declare the 16-nation meet open between the inaugural day's two matches at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

It would be the second time a FIFA chief will be visiting the country after FIFA's Brazilian boss Joao Havellange's trip to Dhaka in 1983.

Blatter, who will spend a busy day, will call on President Dr Prof Iajuddin Ahmed at the Bangabhaban this morning. He will also visit the BFF Bhaban where he is expected to hand over the fund for tsunami victims to the Bangladesh Football Federation. He will depart Dhaka tomorrow morning as part of visiting countries hit by the devastating 2004 tsunami.

Blatter will fly to the Maldives before heading to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand in a three-day whistle-stop tour of the region.

He and Hammam will also inspect football facilities that have been rebuilt following the disaster.