The FIFA U-17 World Cup is almost here!
It’s a great time to be alive if you are a football fan in India. FIFA World Cup in India – no one would have imagined this a couple of years ago but here we are with a little help from FIFA. The tournament will take place between 6th to 28th October 2017 and here we at Read Scoops are presenting an overview of the tourney which will change the face of the Indian Football scenario.
Here’s a quick look at all the teams that have qualified from various regions, and the respective tournaments which guaranteed their qualification.
Below, we will take a detailed look at all the six groups and the cities where they will be based. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams will advance to the Round of 16.
For a detailed schedule of the tournament, please click here.
For stadium tickets to the matches, please click here.
GROUP A – INDIA, USA, COLOMBIA, GHANA
USA are the runners up of 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship and Ghana, runners up of 2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. Both are the strongest teams in the group and are expected to go through while the host nation India may have a chance as four of the best 3rd placed teams from each group will also qualify for the knockouts.
New Delhi is the capital of India and also of the iconic Mughal Empire. It boasts of magnificent forts and structures of Mughal architecture. Matches will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium which was renovated during the 2010 Commonwealth Games and has a capacity of around 58,000 spectators.
GROUP B – PARAGUAY, MALI, NEW ZEALAND, TURKEY
Mali are the 2017 Africa Cup Of Nations winner while New Zealand are the winners of 2017 OFC U-17 Championship. Mali, Turkey and Paraguay are expected to fight it out for the top 2 places.
New Mumbai is the city that never sleeps, home of ‘Bollywood’. Matches will be played at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Stadium having a massive capacity of 51,000. The ground has also been home to the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
GROUP C – IRAN, GUINEA, GERMANY, COSTA RICA
Germany and Iran are expected to advance to the knockout stages with Costa Rica finishing a close 3rd. Iran were the runners up at 2016 AFC U-16 Championship and coincidentally, the tournament was hosted at the same venue i.e. Goa. Iran would be looking to go one up this time around.
Goa is known as the ‘Party Capital Of India‘ also the ‘Jewel Of India‘. Being a Portuguese colony, football has been traditionally integrated into the Goan culture. Goa is famous for its picturesque beaches, churches, temples, hospitality and the secular nature of its people. Matches will be played at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium which has a seating capacity of around 19,000.
GROUP D – KOREA DPR, NIGER, BRAZIL, SPAIN
This group promises some exciting encounters with Brazil and Spain expected to make it through the next round. A keen contest can be expected for the 3rd place between Korea and Niger who are in the finals for the first time.
Kerala is hailed as ‘God’s Own Country‘ and it stays true to the title. Like Goa, Kerala is a tourist destination with locals and foreigners flooding the state. Also football is more popular than cricket in this state. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is India’s 3rd biggest stadium with a capacity of over 60,000.
GROUP E – HONDURAS, JAPAN, NEW CALEDONIA, FRANCE
Group E seems fairly even with New Caledonia being the newbies. France should be looking to top the group with Honduras and Japan battling it out for the 2nd place.
Guwahati, also known as ‘Light Of The East’, is the capital of the state Assam. It’s the gateway to the North-eastern part of the country. Also, it is the home of one of the country’s most passionately followed football club North East United FC; football in this region dominates all other sports. Indira Gandhi Athletic International Stadium, with a capacity of 30,000, will host the matches.
GROUP F – IRAQ, MEXICO, CHILE, ENGLAND
The final group promises to be the ‘Group of Death’. Iraq and Mexico won their continental cup competitions and are strong favorites to win the World Cup, whereas England are considered the dark horses to win it. Chile are also expected to give a tough fight to all the teams. This group is the most exciting of all, and it’s going to be tough to predict the winners from this group; we will have to just wait and see.
The best stadium is surely kept for the last group. The Salt Lake Stadium is the biggest in the country, with a seating capacity of 85,000. Kolkata, the ‘City of Joy’, is truly known for its passion for football and cricket alike. In no other state of India one can find equal love towards both the games. It will also host the final of this tournament.
So all you football fans out there, get in for the matches, and spread the love for the game. My personal favorites are England for this one; I hope they go a long way. If you like what you’ve read, check out more stuff from:
Cheers!
