U-17 World Cup Digest: A big opportunity for youngsters, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup a "big opportunity for our younger generation" and said the event will increase the interest in football in the country.

The country's first-ever FIFA tournament will be held from October 6 to 28 across six centres.

"My dear countrymen, there is a big opportunity for our younger generation between Navratra festivities and Diwali. FIFA Under-17 World Cup is being organised in our country. I am sure reverberations of the spirit of football will be heard all around," PM Modi said during his 'Mann Ki Baat' address to the country.

"It will evince more interest in football in every generation. There should not be a single school-college ground in India where we will not see our youngsters at play. Come on, the whole world is coming to play on Indian soil, let us make sports a part of our lives," he added.

Twenty-four teams from around the world will be involved in a total of 52 games. These teams have been divided into six groupings of A to F.

This is the 17th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Goa stadium handed over to FIFA

The Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, was handed over to FIFA for the U-17 World Cup, beginning October 6.

Local organising committee tournament director Javier Ceppi, who arrived here yesterday along with other officials, inspected the stadium and was satisfied.

The stadium will be managed by the FIFA team from now on, executive director of Sports Authority of Goa, Prabhu Dessai, said.

The stadium was refurbished when it hosted the Lusofonia Games in 2014.

With a capacity of 19,000, the stadium is the smallest of all stadiums hosting the U-17 World Cup.

The stadium will play host to European and Asian giants Germany and Iran respectively. Joining them will be the West African nation of Guinea and the Central American team of Costa Rica.

The stadium will also host two Round of 16 encounters as well as a quarter-final match.