A two-member Fifa team inspected the refurbished Cooperage ground here on Sunday and seemed satisfied with the facilities. Cooperage is one of the eight venues shortlisted by the All India Football Federation to host the Under-17 World Cup in 2017.
Fifa’s director of competition Inaki Alvarez and competitions manager Vijay Parthasarthy were shown around the ground by Western India Football Association CEO Henry Menezes and general secretary Souter Vaz.
“This is an advanced surface and very good. But we (Fifa) will need some time to finalise the venues,” Alvarez said after inspecting the Cooperage ground.
Fifa delegates were accompanied by Anil Kamat, assistant general secretary (competition), AIFF and Shaji Prabhakaran, Fifa development officer (Asia).
The team had visited the venues in Pune on Friday and the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday followed by Goa.
They will also visit facilities in Bengaluru, Kochi, New Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata. The two-member team will submit their report, following which six venues will be finalized to host the six groups of four teams each.
“We took the officials across the ground. They also visited the nearby hotels and were impre-ssed with the facilities,” Menezes said.
Cooperage, which has not hosted any competitive matches since the last three seasons, can accommodate only 5,000 spectators which can be one of its drawbacks. “The state government has granted us all the necessary sanctions and clearances, including security arrangements for hosting the World Cup. So we are in a position to increase the seating capacity and other additions if we are told to do so,” he said.
Fifa team had surprisingly visited the DY Patil cricket Stadium on Saturday, which has a seating capacity of over 50,000.
According to sources, the stadium owners assured the officials that all criteria would be met. “We had a look at two other centres, one of which was a football stadium in Maharashtra (Pune and Navi Mumbai) and both were very good.”
Latest Stories
-
Stanbic Offers financial solutions to members of Ghana Medical Association
5 mins -
“Dmusor” has brought businesses to their knees – GNCCI expresses frustration at ongoing crisis
11 mins -
Ghana’s electricity access likely to increase as World Bank begins initiative
12 mins -
We need a comprehensive data on the culture and creative sector– GCF to Egyapa Mercer
19 mins -
Veil on asset declaration should be lifted – Osafo-Maafo
42 mins -
I have been paid with malt drink and meat pie after performing – Kofi Sarpong
42 mins -
Child mortality drops to 32% nationwide in 2024 – Patrick Kuma-Aboagye
57 mins -
Cedi to bounce back to appreciating trajectory soon – Fitch Solutions
1 hour -
Dumsor: Finance ministry failed to pay power generators over GH₵1.2 billion under the CWM – PURC report
1 hour -
Toddler mauled by dog undergoes successful plastic surgery
1 hour -
Pepsodent champions with #TalkToADentist initiative at World Oral Health Day 2024
2 hours -
Otumfuo holds mega food fair for queen mothers
2 hours -
Manhyia Palace holds successful Feast Ghana event to celebrate Asanteman Queen mothers Day
2 hours -
ACEP supports ECG privatisation to make its operations efficient
2 hours -
Only the Energy Minister can authorise publication of load-shedding timetable – Osafo-Maafo
2 hours