ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -FIFA president Sepp Blatter will join Georgia fans in Tbilisi on Saturday to see their national team return to World Cup action at home.
FIFA ordered Georgia to kick off its qualifying campaign for 2010 with a home match against Ireland in the neutral German city of Mainz last month. The Georgian capital Tbilisi was judged too dangerous in the aftermath of conflict with neighboring Russia.
Football's world governing body last month approved Georgia's return home to host Cyprus on Saturday and Bulgaria four days later.
"It shows that the situation has improved and allows for such international matches to take place once again in Georgia," Blatter said in a statement.
Georgia's football federation expects sold-out crowds of 54,000 at Boris Paichadze National Stadium.
"The people are very happy," spokesman Alexander Tsnobiladze said. "They are very interested about seeing (coach) Hector Cuper's new team."
Tsnobiladze said the mood would be very different to that witnessed during Georgia's 2-1 loss to Ireland.
"It was very difficult to play in Mainz," he said. "There was only, I think, 100 to 200 supporters from Georgia who are living in Germany and Austria."
During his two-day visit, Blatter will open a FIFA-funded coaching center used by the national team.
Georgia is bottom of Group 8 in European qualifying after losing its second match 2-0 away to world champion Italy.
