Nigeria is bracing up for what it has called a football showpiece when the West African nation hosts the rest of the world at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Despite being behind schedule with facilities for the October 24 to November 15 tournament, the nation claims that “we are on course to stage a successful tournament”.
Chief Obinna Ogba, chairman of the Marketing Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation and who led Nigeria’s Under-17 side, Eaglets, on their tour of Ghana this week, said the various facilities for the tournament, including the artificial turfs, were near completition.
“We will be ready in time for the tournament. The various stadia are near completion, and we are expecting the FIFA inspection team with hope and eagerness,” he told Daily Graphic last Tuesday in Tema where they played Division One side, Ebusua Dwarfs, in a friendly.
The slow pace of Nigeria’s preparations for the tournament has been of major concern to FIFA, and after the world body’s inspection team’s report last May, FIFA handed Nigeria “grace period” to complete work on six stadia, including facilities in Calabar, Enugu, Ijebu-Ode and Kano.
FIFA’s team were expected in Nigeria last Wednesday for another inspection of facilities, while the draw for the tournament will be held on August 7 at the International Conference Centre in the capital, Abuja.
Chief Ogba said their dream to host and win was perfectly on course, while Coach John Obuh insisted that he was in the process of building a formidable squad to conquer the world one more time to retain the cup they won in South Korea two years ago.
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