By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – In a landmark vote that has already caused huge jubilation across the country, India will stage its first major FIFA tournament after being handed the 2017 under-17 World Cup.
After years of trying to join the global footballing family, India beat off the challenges of South Africa, Ireland and Uzbekistan as FIFA continued its policy of taking tournaments to developing football nations.
“This is historic, exactly we have been waiting for,” said Sunil Chhetri, captain of the Indian national team. “I always knew it was a matter of time.”
Paful Patel, president of the All India Football Federation, said the decision would provide a huge boost for the game in a country that is traditionally obsessed by cricket and has only ever once qualified for the World Cup at senior level, in 1950, and even then had to withdraw. “It is good for the future and a big achievement,” he said.
Ranked 148th in the world, the only time India broke into the top 100 was back in 1996. Interestingly, reports in India revealed that the country only submitted its revised bid last month after obtaining the necessary guarantees from the government on tax exemption for broadcasters and other issues such as security and visas. India’s original bid in January was rejected due to insufficient assurances.
The AIFF has proposed holding matches in five states – Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and one among Assam, Goa and Kerala – for what will be the biggest international soccer event ever on Indian soil.
Although the AIFF has hosted several international tournaments both at national and club level, it has never staged a FIFA event. FIFA president Sepp Blatter had apparently urged the country to bid when he visited last year.
“This is of enormous importance for a land of 1.2 billion people in sporting political and geo-political terms,” Blatter said in Brazil after a meeting of his executive committee.
Meanwhile, the Under-17 women’s World Cup in 2016 has been awarded to Jordan and the Under-20 women’s World Cup to South Africa.
It is understood Jordan went head-to-head against Uruguay, South Africa and Bahrain, the last of those particularly interesting since Bahraini football is run by Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Al Khalifa who must have hoped his country would clinch hosting status.
FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, hailed the decision as a huge opportunity that would have “immeasurable positive impact on the progress of women’s football not only in Jordan, but also across the region.”
“The tournament will help kick off a positive wave for women’s football in the region, particularly in grassroots football development,” he said.
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