Coinciding with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit next year in India, an under-17 football tournament will be played between the nations here in April.
As a lead-up to the 2017 under-17 FIFA World Cup, India will use the competition to test its infrastructure and on-field preparation.
BRICS Cup project leader and tournament director Joao Gilberto Vaz claimed that the success of the inaugural season of the Indian Super League and an emerging football market in the country also played a part in the decision. Ambedkar Stadium has been identified as the venue.
Football as catalyst “We want to use football as a catalyst to promote better understanding of BRICS,” said Vaz.
A sixth team may join the quintet as the organisers are in talks with UNICEF to sponsor the additional entry.
FC Barcelona or Qatar’s under-17 side have been mooted as possible participants due to their links with the United Nations body.
Annual tournament Vaz also revealed that the competition was expected to be held annually and the hosting rights would be rotated among the BRICS nations.
The tournament has already received the support of the Indian and Brazilian governments while the Chinese Football Association has provided its approval too.
The tournament’s launch was accompanied by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Associated Chambers of Commerce (ASSOCHAM) and the Brazilian representatives present on Tuesday, Vaz and the Brazilian Ambassador to India Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte.
Ministry of Sports Affairs joint secretary Onkar Kedia was in attendance too.
The BRICS governments see football as a tool for “soft diplomacy”. Vaz claimed that the idea was to create communities, encourage friendship and bring young people of different BRICS cultures even closer.
