The D.Y. Patil stadium, Navi Mumbai, has been provisionally selected as one of the venues for next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, according to tournament director, Javier Ceppi.
The venues will be chosen from a list of nine cities that also includes Guwahati, Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune and a venue in Goa, apart from Navi Mumbai. The final ratification will be made in September-October.
“It is up to the D.Y. Patil stadium authorities to make it happen. Certain criteria listed by FIFA need to be fulfilled by the hosting body. We are happy at their response and feel the various stakeholders will come together,” said the Chilean.
FIFA’s pitch preparation officials will arrive in Navi Mumbai next week to co-ordinate with the stadium authorities on surface preparation so that the ground meets the requirements stipulated by the World body for an event of this stature.
“The tournament should be an umbrella, bringing together benefits in many areas. We are looking at the U-17 World Cup as a game-changing event for India,” Ceppi said.
