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What’s the story?
After successfully hosting the U-17 World Cup, India are currently the frontrunners, alongside Poland in their bid to host the upcoming edition of the U-20 WC. The decision will be announced on Friday, March 16 in Bogota, Colombia, where the FIFA council will be gathering to make some important announcements.
In Bogota, the procedure for choosing the World Cup 2026 finals will be decided, along with the organization of two junior world championships - the U-17 and U-20 in 2019.
In case you did not know...
The U-20 World Cup has featured many legends of the game including the likes of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. While Maradona starred in the U-20 WC in Japan in 1979, Messi grabbed the limelight in 2005 in the Netherlands.
The last edition of the tournament was won by England - in South Korea, 2017. Argentina have won the most number of titles (six), followed by their South-American rivals Brazil, who have won five.
The heart of the matter
The junior World Cup is a major platform that offers talented footballers the chance to showcase their abilities in front of the world. The U-20 World Cup is a springboard for young talented footballers, giving fans and pundits a chance to catch a glimpse of the stars of the future.
The proposed date of the tournament has been scheduled for the end of May, beginning of June.The finals will culminate before 16 June 2019, when the U-21 tournament for the European championship starts in Italy and San Marino
What’s next?
India, which has already hosted the U-17 championship in 2017, received a massive response, with the final between England and Spain that was held at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, was watched by nearly 70,000 global viewers.
The advantage can turn out to be in India’s favour but it remains to be seen what unfolds in Bogota tomorrow.
Author’s take
Winning the bid for the U-20WC will provide a major boost to India’s footballing landscape. The mega-event will lay a strong foundation for Indian football in the years to come and the success of the event would prove to be vital in popularizing the sport in the country.
