It's official! Guwahati confirmed as U-17 World Cup venue

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Oct 24: For the first time, the city of Guwahati will bask in the glory of U-17 World Cup football tourment. A FIFA delegation confirmed on Monday that the city will be one of the venues for the U-17 soccer tourment to be held next year.

The FIFA delegation visited the venue and had a comprehensive look at the stadium and training facilities before announcing the confirmation along with members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

“We have a very good understanding with the newly elected State government and that has certainly helped to push matters forward in Guwahati. They realize the importance of hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 and have given us their complete support, which has had an immediate impact on the pace of work in the last 45 days,” said Tourment Director Javier Ceppi in a statement, adding, “We also believe, as the State government does, that this event will be critical in the Chief Minister’s vision of making Assam the sports hub of India.”

The delegates from world football’s governing body were satisfied with the conditions in Guwahati, both on the pitch as well as with the training facilities of IGAI training ground, Nehru Stadium, LNIPE Ground and SAI Regiol Centre.

“From what I am being told, the enthusiasm for the sport here in this part of the country is unmatched,” U-17 World Cup event mager Marion Mayer Vorfelder noted with satisfaction, adding, “Football is like a religion here and considering how passiote people are about the sport here, this ratification denotes a win not just for the State of Assam but the entire Northeast.”

Guwahati is the fifth venue to be ratified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017. Kochi, vi Mumbai, Goa and New Delhi are the other venues to have received FIFA’s approval so far.

The 23-member FIFA delegation will travel to Kolkata on Tuesday to visit the last venue of their inspection trip and assess the situation in the capital of Bengal.