FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Stadium Watch: Exclusive images of the venues getting ready for the event

The FIFA U17 World Cup is knocking on our doors with only 16 days remaining for the big event as the footballing world comes to party in India. This is the biggest footballing event ever hosted by the nation and the first time India will take part in a FIFA event.

Being played across six cities viz. Kolkata, Goa, New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Kochi and Goa, the World Cup has seen the stadiums in each of the host cities getting a major facelift. Some real effort from FIFA and the LOC alongside the concerned authorities for the venus have seen them being transformed into high-end, state of the art facilities that will make Indian around proud.

The renovation work at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata had recently turned heads and set the social media sphere on fire with World Cup director Javier Ceppi giving the new facility 10/10.

And if you are still thinking about how the other facilities are lining up and what kind of renovation work is going on, we at Sportskeeda have got you covered.

#1 DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

Located in Nerul, Mumbai, the stadium has served mainly as a cricket ground in the past. It has been the home of Mumbai Indian as well the Deccan Chargers in the past. In the ISL, it was the home ground for Mumbai City FC in the inaugural season and also went on to host the final of the 2014 season.

The stadium complex also has nine tennis hard courts, four indoor badminton courts and an Olympic sized swimming pool.

The DY Patil Stadium will host all the games of Group B (except for Mali vs New Zealand) which features Paraguay, Mali, New Zealand and Turkey. Later on, it will also serve as the host of one Round of 16 clash and one semi-final.

Things to look out for this World Cup:

- New individual bucket seats on stadium for all spectators

- 2 new team dressing rooms

- New safe evacuation gates for spectators

- Improved facilities for spectators

- 3 new training grounds with floodlights, dressing rooms and international standard pitches

#2 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi will play the host to all of India's games - in fact, all but one game of Group A, which features Ghana, the USA and Colombia. With final group games being played simultaneously, the match between Colombia and US will be held in Navi Mumbai.

Having been built by the Government of India to host the athletic events and ceremonies of the 1982 Asian Games, the stadium has seen many upliftments in terms of facilities. It was recently renovated for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and is currently the fourth largest stadium in India, 27th largest stadium in Asia and the 51st largest stadium in the world.

Things to look forward this World Cup:

- 3 new team dressing rooms

- New Media Tribune

- New Safe Evacuation Gates for Spectators

- Improved Sports Lighting

- Improved facilities for Spectators

- 2 new training grounds with floodlights, dressing rooms and international standard pitch

Much improved facilities in and around the stadium

#2 Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati

The new look Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guawahati — The new look Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati

The North East of India is the heartbeat of Indian football - undoubtedly its supply line for talent and in the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati, it has got its perfect venue to enthral the people of the highlands. Scheduled to play host to Group E games (all but one game), the stadium will also play host to the Group F encounter between Mexico and Chile on the final day of the Group stage.

Following that, the venue will host one game each of the following three rounds. The home venue for NorthEast United in the ISL, the boisterous crowd of the North East are sure to be out in numbers and the new facilities should certainly make them feel as comfortable as possible.

Guwa — The stadium interiors have gone through a real transformation as well

Things to look forward this World Cup:

- New 23,000 Individual Bucket Seats on stadium for all spectators

- Improved toilet, stairs and evacuation facilities for spectators

- 2 New Team Dressing Rooms

- 2 New Referees Dressing Rooms

- Improved Sports Lighting

- 4 heavily improved training grounds with floodlights, dressing rooms and international standard pitch

#4 Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi

The football crazy people of Kerala will descend on the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium

Kochi and especially the state of Kerala has an attachment to the game of football like no other and that has been visible time and again in the ISL. The home of the Kerala Blasters, the stadium turns into a sea of yellow on matchdays and this coming World Cup, we can again expect the people of Kerala to come out in their thousands.

Scheduled to play host to Group D games (all but one game), the stadium will also play host to the Group C encounter between Germany and Guinea on the final day of the Group stage.

Then and Now Kochi.JPG — Then and Now - Kochi

Things to look forward this World Cup:

- New Individual Bucket Seats on stadium for all spectators

- Improved toilet, stairs and evacuation facilities for spectators

- Complete new firefighting system at stadium

- 2 New Team Dressing Rooms

- 2 New Referees Dressing Rooms

- 3 new training grounds with floodlights, dressing rooms and international standard pitch

#5 Fatorda Stadium, Goa

Goa — The Fatorda stadium is set to add another new chapter in its glorious history

Having played hosts to all four Goan footballing powerhouses viz. Dempo S.C., Churchill Brothers S.C., Salgaocar S.C., and Sporting Clube de Goa before becoming the home stadium of FC Goa in the ISL, the Fatorda stadium is set to add another new chapter in its glorious history when some of the most talented young footballers on earth decent upon its hallowed turf.

The World Cup hits the shores of Goa on the 7th of October when Germany square off against Costa Rica in a Group C encounter. The town will move with the motion of the waves and rhythm of football at the Fatorda Stadium as Iran and Guinea will also play in the coastal city.

The group will also play host to the Group D game between Brazil and Niger on their final day of the Group stage before going on to host a couple of Round of 16 encounters and a quarter-final.

Things to look forward this World Cup:

- 2 New Team Dressing Rooms

- 2 New Referees Dressing Rooms

- New Press Conference Room

- Extended Tribune on West Side

- New Safe Evacuation Gates for Spectators

- Renovation of all spectator areas

- 2 new floodlight towers

- Development of 1 new training site (Utorda) and installation of floodlights at another (Benaulim)

#6 Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata

VYBK (1).JPG — The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan will host the final of the World Cup

The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan or the Salt Lake Stadium (as popularly known) has already set the social media sphere ablaze when pictures of the renovated stadium and its surrounding facilities were revealed last week during the handover to the LOC. With nearly INR 100 crores pumped in by the West Bengal government, the place has become the crown jewel for the Football crazy Bengalis.

The stadium, besides the final and the third-place playoff, will also be hosts to all but one Group F game. It will also be host of the game between Japan and New Caledonia on the final day of their Group stage with both games of the group being played out at the same time.

Javier Ceppi, the tournament director has recently heaped praise on the stadium stating that the Salt Lake Stadium "is now a stadium worthy of hosting the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, and not so many stadiums in the world have that distinction."