Navi Mumbai: FIFA and Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022 have officially announced the schedule for the biennial youth tournament and the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai is set to host the final and third-place match to conclude the historic tournament on October 30 this year.
Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium will play home to India’s group stage matches and Goa will host both semi-final matches of India’s first-ever FIFA women’s tournament. Navi Mumbai will also host two quarterfinal games on 21st October 2022.
Aaditya Thackeray confident
Speaking about this seminal moment for women’s football in the country, Aaditya Thackeray, Cabinet Minister, Government of Maharashtra, Vice President, Western India Football Association (WIFA), and President, Mumbai District Football Association said, “Another feather in the cap for Navi Mumbai, as it is set to host the final of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022. Maharashtra is ready to welcome the best women footballers from across the globe. We have the determination and capacity to successfully host big-ticket tournaments and, similarly, we shall leave no stones unturned in making this edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup the best so far.”
The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai is accustomed to hosting major events, having previously played home to matches of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 and also the Indian Premier League.
'Grateful to FIFA'
Confident of hosting a successful tournament, Project Directors of the Local Organising Committee of the tournament, Ankush Arora and Nandini Arora, in a joint statement said, “We are extremely grateful to FIFA, our host states and all other stakeholders for their continued support in the aligned vision of uplifting women’s football.
“The launch of the schedule is a significant moment on the road to the historic tournament. The preparations for hosting India’s second FIFA competition are progressing as per timelines and we remain confident of delivering a highly successful tournament, one which will provide a platform for future stars of women’s football to shine.”
The schedule further revealed that the 24 group stage games will conclude on October 18 and the matches will be shared among all three host states—Maharashtra, Odisha and Goa. The quarter-final round of games will be held on 21st and 22nd October following which the semis will be held on 26th October at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa.
Four days later, a third-place match will serve as the precursor to the final at the DY Patil Stadium which will kick off at 8PM IST.
On the back of the successful FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, which broke the record for being FIFA’s most attended youth World Cup ever, India 2022 is carrying on the positive legacy. This youth tournament has touched the lives of 2500 children through its Kick Off The Dream Football Carnivals, two editions of which have been held in Maharashtra.
Promoting women in leadership, the LOC has also equipped the Indian footballing ecosystem with 162 female coaches in the grassroots through its legacy initiative, the Coach Education Scholarship Programme. Further editions of both, the coaching programme and the football carnival, are planned in the lead-up to the 11th October kick off.
Full schedule |
