A FIFA team visited the Cooperage football ground and adjacent facilities as part of inspection of venues in India shortlisted by the All India Football Federation to host the 2017 U-17 World Cup. FIFA’s Director of Competition, Inaki Alvarez and Competition Manager, Vijay Parthasarathy, saw the artificial turf at the Cooperage and grass surfaces at Bombay Gymkhana and University Sports Pavilion, designated as practise venues. FIFA Development Officer for Asia, Shaji Prabhakaran and AIFF Competitions Assistant General Secretary, Anil Kamath, were present.
Venues to be selected for the FIFA event need to have playing fields approximately 105 metres long, 68 metres wide, apart from possessing regulation training pitches.
"Regulations permit matches to be played on artificial turf as well as natural grass surfaces," said Alvarez. “This is an advanced surface and good. FIFA will need time to finalise World Cup venues." The FIFA delegates had earlier visited Pune's Balewadi stadium and Navi Mumbai's DY Patil stadium before making the trip to the Cooperage on Sunday.
The FIFA delegate added: "We had a look at two other centres, one which was a proper football stadium (Pune and Navi Mumbai) and both were very good. Each venue is different and the ones with the best balance will be approved."
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The Cooperage ground is managed by Western India Football Association, the governing unit for Maharashtra. WIFA CEO, Henry Menezes and General Secretary, Souter Vaz informed that necessary state government permission and clearances, including security arrangements, had been obtained.
Alvarez and Parthasarathy will travel to Bangalore, Guwahati, Kolkata and New Delhi to similarly inspect football venues. World Cup U-17 in 2017 is the first FIFA event to be allotted to India.