Guwahati to host FIFA U-17 World Cup opener, league matches

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: After 2017, Guwahati will once again host the FIFA U-17 World Cup and this time its the women’s edition. The schedule for the forthcoming championship was unveiled by FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) today in a function held in New Delhi and five cities – Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kolkata, and Navi Mumbai have been confirmed as the host for the tournament. Guwahati will host the matches of the league phase.

Sixteen teams featuring the rising stars of women’s football will compete in 32 matches to lift the coveted trophy in Navi Mumbai on November 21.

As per the schedule released today, Guwahati will host five matches of group ‘A’ and one match of Group ‘B’. The game opener will be held at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on November 2 and this would be followed by matches on November 5 and November 8.

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju addressing media in the function said: “It gives me immense pleasure to congratulate the five cities hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020. As India prepares to host yet another FIFA event, I look forward to the support from the whole country in making this tournament a rousing success. Our Indian U-17 Women’s team will be playing in a FIFA tournament for the first time. It is a proud moment for the nation and we will provide all possible support to ensure its success.”

In another significant announcement, the official slogan – “Kick Off The Dream” – was also unveiled in Delhi today in the same function.

Sarai Bareman, FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer, said: “Today’s announcement of the match schedule, host cities and Official Slogan for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020 represents a major moment for the tournament and football fans across India and around the world. The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India provides an exciting opportunity, not just for the development of women’s football, but for fans across India and worldwide to watch the next superstars of the women’s game.”

Praful Patel, LOC chairman and FIFA Council member, added: “The announcement of the match schedule is an important moment on the road to the tournament. I am confident that the five host cities will do a wonderful job hosting the best young footballers in this important tournament.”

Group-stage matches will be played in four host cities Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Kolkata while the knockout stages would be held in Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata and Navi Mumbai.

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