Will the FIFA Under-17 World Cup change the face of Indian football?
After months of uncertainty, India won the right to host its first-ever FIFA tournament. But can India prepare a team to look the big boys in the eye?
- NDTVSports
- Updated: December 06, 2013 06:57 PM IST
A promise for a better future for Indian football came from FIFA on Thursday night as it granted India the hosting rights of the Under-17 football World Cup in 2017. A move that even FIFA deems historic. This will be the country's first step towards playing the World Cup. (Read: Baichung Bhutia urges India to field a good, competitive team in U-17 World Cup)
Cesc Fabregas, Juan Sebastian Veron, Ronaldinho, Neymar all of them made their first mark at the Under-17 World Cup.
Top dogs from the world of football will descend in India to scout for the next generation of Beckhams, Zidanes and Ronaldos when the biggest football event in South Asia happens in the next three years.
After nearly 18 months of red tapism and delays, the AIFF finally got all the permissions from the Indian government and outbid Azerbaijan, Ireland, South Africa and Uzbekistan.
President of FIFA Sepp Blatter said, "This is another historical decision we have taken. India, the sub-continent with 1.2 billion people have been appointed to organise FIFA U17 world cup with 24 teams in 2017."
Eight cities have been shortlisted for the event so far. These include Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Kolkata, Goa, Mumbai, Kochi and Guwahati. Six out of the these will eventually get to host the matches.
For the moment the government has allocated Rs 95 crore for refurbishment of stadiums and an additional Rs 25 crore for logistics and security. AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told NDTV, "Fortunately for the Under-17 World Cup we do not need to build new venues but perk up the existing facilities which will comply with FIFA's standards. We need to make the dressing rooms and few other facilities better."
By virtue of being the hosts, India automatically qualify for the World Cup. So does the AIFF have a plan in place to ensure the Indian team doesn't embarrass itself when pitted against teams from Europe, South America and Africa? AIFF's director of academies Scott O'Donell said, " We already have a pool of 26 boys training in our academy in Goa. We have further got a bunch of 28 boys recruited in Kalyani last month. We are going to shortlist the best and put out a team for the World Cup."
AIFF is also in talks with the I-league clubs for setting up a league for Under-16 and Under-14 players that will enable them to get out of the academies and play competitive football for a longer duration in a season.
People in the know of things say India getting the hosting right for this tournament was a mere formality, since FIFA was very keen to spread the game in a country of 1.2 billion people. That done, the hard work for Indian football begins now. After all the world will be watching.