Kolkata, April 28 (PTI): The countdown for the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 begins on Friday with the City of Joy gearing up to stage the marque clash exactly six months from now.
The two finalists of the tournament, the first-ever FIFA event to be hosted in the country, will take the pitch at city's iconic Vivekananda Yuva Bhartiya Krirangan to decide the new world champion exactly six months from now on October 28.
"In six months' time there will be a new world champion.
We cannot stress enough how relevant this is for football in India and around the planet," tournament director of the Local Organising Committee, Javier Ceppi said.
"It is a huge responsibility for Kolkata as the whole world will be watching. Everything must go as per plan in following all the international standards that a FIFA tournament brings in to place. We are working with the state of West Bengal to ensure that everything is run as per the FIFA protocol and that we can have a fantastic final," he added.
Elaborating on the same, Project Director of the Local Organising Committee, Joy Bhattacharjya added, "I have seen 130000 people pack the stadium and there are very few places in the world which can replicate the atmosphere that the venue manages to create on such occasions.
"I can promise that the World Cup Final experience there would be unbelievable too."
India is now less than 200 days away from hosting some of the best young football players in the world. The FIFA U-17 World Cup is widely regarded as the breeding ground for future talent.
The likes of Ronaldinho, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti and Neymar are just some of the players that have taken part in their country's U-17 sides in the history of the competition.
FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 provides a massive opportunity for Indians to see the next wave of football superstars in action.
Tickets for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 will go live on May 16 at exactly 19:11 hrs, paying tribute to the year in which Indian football made history. It was the first time that an Indian football team, Mohun Bagan AC, won the IFA shield by defeating an English team (East Yorkshire Regiment).
The tournament starts on October 6.
