FIFA satisfied with progress for hosting U-17 World Cup

Describing the progress of preparations at the host of one of the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Tournament Director of the Local Organising Committee, Javier Ceppi said Kochi has really picked up the pace of the renovations after the 'big scare' in March (over delays).

Earlier, the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium was declared fit for hosting the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The stadium, which boasts of a capacity of 60,000 people, will, however, accommodate a maximum of 41,748 persons for the tournament considering the safety and security of spectators.

"With one hundred days to go, things seem to be under control and the renovations are going as planned," he said in a release here.

He said the fans too have started to show more interest and are responding to the World Cup by getting their tickets early. "We hope to have a full stadium in Kochi," Ceppi said.

The four training sites that teams participating at the venue will practice include Parade Ground, Fort Kochi Veli Football Ground, Maharajas College Ground and Sports Academy, Panampilly Ground.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be played between October 6 and October 28 later this year.

It was in October last year that Kochi was officially declared as one of the venues for hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup by a high-level delegation of football's world body.

With 100 days to go from Wednesday for the kick-off of the FIFA U17 World Cup, local organizing committee's Tournament Director, Javier Ceppi, also declared that the D Y Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai, one of the six designated venues, almost matched ready.

He also said that final touches were being given to the fourth and last training site, belonging to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, and would be done soon.