Internet Desk: It will be a race between two cities to host the final of the much awaited FIFA U’17 World Cup in India in October this year. The 21 member FIFA and the Local Organising Committee will be making their last stop tomorrow in Kolkata to inspect the Salt Lake Stadium. The delegation headed by Tournament Director of the LOC, Javier Ceppi and FIFA Head of Events Jaime Yarza began their inspection in the capital on March 22 and headed next to Goa, Kochi, Mumbai and Guwahati.
DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai has been the most impressive venue according to the FIFA officials.
FIFA Head of Events Jaime Yarza expressed his satisfaction last week with the progression of preparation at the venue and said, “We are very impressed by the stadium here – the efforts put in by Dr. Vijay Patil and his team are exemplary and that will show when the World Cup happens here in less than 200 days time”.
Tournament Director of the LOC, Javier Ceppi was also very happy with the preparations at Navi Mumbai and said, “It is always a pleasure to come back to Navi Mumbai. The team at the DY Patil Stadium keeps setting the highest benchmark. Even though the DY Patil Stadium has met all our requirements, they keep trying to make their facility even better.”
“We are sure that all the people from Maharashtra will be very proud about DY Patil hosting the World Cup and will come down in numbers to watch all the matches. We’re also appreciative of Navi Mumbai Sports Association as their training ground is practically completed and will be among the best ones in the country, and we are thankful of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, as they will develop the Yashwantrao Chavan Maidan ground to be the fourth training site in the city,” he added.
Kolkata, tipped to hold the final of the marquee event is under stiff competition from Mumbai. Salt Lake Stadium is easily the best football stadiums in the country and a lot will depend upon the result of the inspection tomorrow.
With the Durga puja not clashing with the dates of the marquee event, it is very likely that the final or inauguration will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium. Given the popularity of football in the state, Kolkata is the front-runner to host the final of the event, as no other stadiums in the country can hold a capacity crowd in excess of 80000 spectators.
Among the six venues, Kochi has been the worst as far as preparations are concerned. Describing the preparations at one of the southernmost venue in the country, FIFA Head of Tournaments, Jaime Yarza explained, “I was here last February and, to be honest, while some work has happened, it’s by far not enough, which is a matter of deep concern. The State Government must get involved, give us an unrestricted support and get the urgency of the situation, because there are a lot of changes that need to be made to the stadium. The works need to be done by 15th May and given the large amount of renovation that must happen, works have to go on full speed. Also, the situation of the stores is quite concerning: from a Security standpoint they cannot be opened during the Tournament. There are stores with fuel tanks, which is a grave safety and security concern, so their equipment also need to be taken out. Overall, work needs to happen, and State Government needs to make them happen fast.”
The FIFA U-17 World Cup will kick start on 6th October and the final will take place on October 28.