August 12 – Nigeria is in the running to host the 2020 U-20 Women’s World Cup. A FIFA inspection team visited facilities in the proposed host cities of Lagos, Benin City, Asaba and Uyo.
No African country has ever hosted a FIFA women’s tournament and with South Africa in the bidding race for the senior World Cup in 2023, the 2020 tournament could be the first ever FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Africa.
“Hosting the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in 2020 will leave a lot of legacies beyond the physical; it will impact on humanity,” said NFF president Amaju Pinnick. “We have played in two final matches and reached the semi final once. I believe it is time to take it to the next level. It is time we win the competition and it would be even more fulfilling to win it on home ground.”
India and South Korea had originally bid for the tournament, but dropped out. The Indians were awarded the hosting rights for the U-17 Women’s World Cup by FIFA on 15 March 2019 and were thus no longer eligible to bid for the U-20 tournament.
FIFA is set to take a final decision later this year.
Nigeria has a strong record in hosting youth tournaments, having staged the men’s U-20 World Cup in 1999 and the U-17 version ten years later, but both tournaments left little legacy in terms of football and infrastructure in the country.
U-19 European champions Germany, runners up Spain, France and the Netherlands have already sealed their berth for the 16-team 2020 tournament.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1730802896labto1730802896ofdlr1730802896owedi1730802896sni@o1730802896fni1730802896