The FIFA Council replaced the Executive Committee as part of a widespread reform package aimed at repairing the shattered reputation of the organisation.

It officially became part of FIFA’s Statutes on April 27, though the make-up of the Council will include the same 25 members for the inaugural meeting as the rest of the members are due to be elected later this year.

The Council will eventually have 37 members.

New additions to the Council will be discussed here before the deadline for the respective Confederations to elect their proposed members comes on September 30.

The first full gathering of the new ruling body will then be held on October 13 and 14.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, elected at an Extraordinary Congress in Zurich in February, has long stressed the importance of beginning the process to choose a host for the organisation’s flagship quadrennial tournament in 2026, which was suspended last June following the opening of a criminal investigation into how Russia and Qatar won the rights to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments respectively.

The United States have emerged as the favourites, though Infantino has denied offering any promises to the nation after the extensive lobbying work done by American FIFA Council member Sunil Gulati at the election.

The country is expected to bid for the right to stage the tournament, while Canada, Mexico and Colombia could also enter the race.

The destination of the 2026 World Cup was due to be decided at the FIFA Congress in Kuala Lumpur in May 2017 but Infantino has since claimed he expects to select the host country in 2020, six years before the start of the tournament.

The FIFA Council is also set to choose the host for the 2018 Under-17 Women’s World Cup during the two-day meeting.

Other items on the agenda include further talks on the extensive reform process, passed unanimously at the Extraordinary Congress, which features imposing a limit of three four-year terms on the President.

Greater transparency, through the declaration of the sums of money earned by the top brass, have also come into effect, along with a new human rights statute.

The Council will propose elections of the chair, deputy chair and members of the Governance Committee, which will help oversee the reform process.

The 25 members are set to decide whether Kosovo's application to become a member of FIFA proceeds to the Congress.

The Football Federation of Kosovo were granted entry into UEFA at the body's Congress in Budapest last week.

The Council will also rule on New Zealand-based Wellington Phoenix’s potential inclusion in the Australian A-League for the next 10 years after their proposal was given the green light by the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceanian Football Confederation.

Reports will be given to the Council by the Finance Committee, led by Confederation of African Football head Issa Hayatou, and the Audit and Compliance Committee, chaired by Domenico Scala which is meeting here today.