First time in history, India is going to host the very prestigious tournament of the FIFA under 17 Football World Cup, 2017. The erstwhile British Capital, the City of Joy, Kolkata (earlier known to be as Calcutta) is about to host the finals of this championship.
The city is slowly transforming into a beautiful bride with the fresh makeover in the run into this magnanimous event.The roads are being repaired, the railings and dividers are getting a coat of fresh paint, there are installations at various important road intersections announcing the arrival of the U-17 football World Cup!
The Stadium
It has taken over two years to get The ‘Yuva Bharati Krirangan’ or the stadium which would host the games in the City of Joy, match ready. The stadium looks brand new from outside with the new paint that has been applied to the exterior. The pathway leading up to the entry gates have been spectacularly illuminated with the help of numerous bright lights.
The tournament director Mr Javier Ceppi has complimented the stadium stating that the ‘Yuva Bharati Krirangan’ could be compared to any stadium in the world which has hosted a world cup final in the past. The stadium could host approximately eighty thousand capacity crowd on a match day. However, due to security reasons, it would host sixty-six thousand spectators during the world cup matches.
The team coaches too have been very impressed with the state of affairs.
Fresh Initiatives
Preparations have been made to hand out complimentary passes to the school and college going children who are associated with the sport in some way. Almost around 5000 children would get to view the matches, live from the stadium box every day. This could act as an inspiration for these young players to grow up and shape themselves as successful footballers in the future.
How Prepared is Team India?
Luis Norton de Matos was appointed as the coach of the U-17 football world cup squad just months before the event. The team fared well in the European Tour held in May 2017 in which they defeated Italy XI 2-0. Even at the Lazio Cup held in Italy, team India managed to pull out two draws and one win in their group matches under their coach, Norton de Matos. The team has had a fair bit of exposure in foreign grounds and should hold an advantage playing on the Indian grounds in front of the home crowd.
The World Cup matches are about to commence on the 06th of October and shall carry on till the 28th of the month.
GROUPS:
GROUP A – INDIA, USA, COLOMBIA AND GHANA
GROUP B – PARAGUAY, MALI, NEW ZEALAND, TURKEY
GROUP C – IRAN, GUINEA, GERMANY AND COSTA RICA
GROUP D – DPR KOREA, NIGER, BRAZIL, SPAIN
GROUP E – HONDURAS, JAPAN, NEW CALEDONIA, FRANCE
GROUP F – IRAQ, MEXICO, CHILE, ENGLAND
