A five-man inspection team from world –football governing body, FIFA will arrive in Lagos on Monday for a four-day inspection of facilities and equipment that Nigeria has put forward to host the 10th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup championship next year.
Christopher Exley, Sara Jane Booth, Kliment Taseski, Rhiannon Ceirwen Martin and Heyral Kaj Jurgen will arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday evening.
They will be received by President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, NFF Executive Committee member and Chairman of the Nigeria Women Football League Aisha Falode and top officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission led by the Executive Chairman, Dr. Kweku Tandoh.
Nigeria has put forward the cities of Lagos, Benin City, Asaba and Uyo for the hosting of the 16 –nation finals.
The inspection team will begin its work in Lagos on Tuesday, with visits to the Onikan Stadium (match venue), St. Nicholas Hospital and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals), Teslim Balogun Stadium, National Stadium Legacy Pitch, Eagle Club, Campos Square and the University of Lagos Sports Centre (training sites), before a courtesy call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Government House in Alausa.
Joined by NFF President Pinnick, General Secretary Sanusi, Alh. Mainasara Illo (Coordinator of the Bid), Falode, Commissioner of Police Garba Baba (security) and Dr. Paul Onyeudo (medical), the team will fly to Benin City same day to inspect facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium (match venue), Western Boys College and University of Benin Sports Centre (training sites) and the Edo Specialist Hospital and University of Benin Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals).
The contingent will check out the facilities in Asaba and Uyo on Wednesday. In Asaba, the Stephen Keshi Stadium is the proposed match venue, while training sites are Asaba Squash Courts and St. Patrick’s College. The referral hospitals are St. Luke’s Hospital and Asaba General Hospital.
In Uyo, the focus will be on the Godswill Akpabio Stadium (match venue), Ikot Ekpene Stadium and Godswill Akpabio Training Pitch (training sites) and Ibom Specialist Hospital and University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals).
The inspection party will then fly to Abuja on Thursday for a meeting with the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Olusade Adesola (representing the Honourable Minister) and a courtesy call on His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (GCON) at the Presidential Villa.
Nigeria is one of only four countries to have participated in every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s Cup since the competition was launched in 2002 in Canada as an U19 Championship. It was upgraded to U20 competition in 2008. USA, Germany and Brazil are the other three ever –present teams.
The Falconets reached the Final of the competition in 2010 and 2014, losing to Germany on both occasions, and were semi finalists in Japan in 2012.
COMMENTS
I hope this people will not disgrace us. With the rate of kidnapping and how some hoodlums are spraying vehicles with bullets everywhere, is bidding for a hosting right a reasonable thing presently when the security of our country is in complete shamble? IMHO I think this move is really unwise. This is another opportunity to set Nigeria up for a disgrace on the global stage.
Security issues has always been an herculian task for most Countries of the World in our modern day life.Even the most powertul nation in the World,the United – States,is not left out of the Security Challenges,and yet they are bidding to host the Men’s senior World Cup in 2026.Egypt,since the reign of their longest serving President Anwar Sadat in the early 80’s,when he was eventually overthroned,ever since then till date been having serious Security challenges.But yet they took a major step in hosting 2006 @ 2019 Afcon as well as the 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup.Angola also hosted the 2010 Afcon Successfully,despite having Security challenges,to mentioned but a few.To be realistic,Football being the biggest Sport in the whole Univetse and so also the source of Joy to many .hence most countries are ready to go an extra mile to spend a fortune in hosting a major Football tournament.So its going to be a huge Welcome Development from the Federal Government and the Amaju Pinnick led NFF.in Securing the Hosting – Rights for Nigeria,once again.