February 18 – India has confirmed the host cities for the U-17 Women’s World Cup in November. Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium will host the final with Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Kolkata serving as other host cities.
The tournament, just nine months away, will be India’s second FIFA finals after the country welcomed its first major international competition in 2017 with the U-17 Men’s World Cup, which England won with a generation that included Phil Foden, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jadon and Sancho.
Usually the U-17 Women’s World Cup has no more than four venues, but FIFA has allowed the Indians to stage the tournament across five host cities: Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Navi Mumbai, Guwahati and Kolkata. Mumbai will welcome the final on November 21. The DY Patil Stadium, however, won’t host any group matches.
“As we look to build on the incredible success of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, as well as the legacy left from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017, the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in India provides an exciting opportunity, not just for the development of women’s football, but for fans across India and around the world to watch the next superstars of the women’s game,” said chief women’s football officer at FIFA Sarai Bareman.
‘Kick Off The Dream’ was unveiled as the tournament’s slogan. The finals will kick off on November 2, with the knockout phase getting under way on November 12.
“There are very few countries in the world with professional women’s leagues,” continued Bareman. “So, when you look at it from a global context, the Indian Women’s League is a good initiative from the AIFF and with this tournament will women’s football to the next level in this country.”
The AIFF is rushing to patch together a competitive team in time for the World Cup. The team is on an exposure trip at the moment in Istanbul, Turkey, where they held Romania to an encouraging 3-3 draw.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734805705labto1734805705ofdlr1734805705owedi1734805705sni@t1734805705catno1734805705c1734805705
