The FIFA Under-17 World Cup is about to kick-off on October 6, and everyone is glued to Indian team as they qualified for this tournament for the first time. It’s just not the Indian team that have qualified for this tournament for the first time, but Niger and Mali were the last two to gain qualification for the tournament in India.
The host nation of each tournament qualifies automatically. The remaining teams qualify through competitions organised by the six regional confederations. Iran and Japan were the first two teams to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017.
Also Read: 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup: Full Schedule, Venue, Teams and Fixtures
The FIFA U-17 World Cup, was founded as FIFA U-16 world championship, and was later changed to its current name in 2007. The Lion City Club that was created by the Football Association of Singapore in 1977, was the main inspiration behind the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The Lion City Cup is the first under-16 football tournament in the world. The former FIFA’s secretary-general Joe Blatter attended the Lion City Cup in 1982 and was influenced by the format that he took the inspiration and created the FIFA U-16 World Cup in 1985.
The first FIFA U-16 World Cup was staged in China in 1985. And since than the tournaments are being played after every two years. When the tournament began in 1985, it was for the players under the age of 16, but in 1991 the age limit was increased to 17. On the same lines a corresponding tournament for female players was also launched in 2008. The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which began in 2008 was in New Zealand with North Korea winning that tournament.
Also Read: India’s squad for FIFA U-17 World Cup announced
The last FIFA U-17 World Cup was hosted by Chile in 2015, and the tournament was won by Nigeria. With that win Nigeria became the most successful team in this tournaments history with five titles, Brazil at second place with three titles and followed by Ghana and Mexico with two titles under their belts. With India the hosting nation this time, all eyes are set on the Indian team this year.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup which will held across 6 cities in India– New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati and Kolkata — from October 6. India are drawn in Group A alongside USA, Canada and Ghana. India will face USA on October 6, followed by Colombia and Ghana on October 9 and October 12 respectively at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
But before the tournament kicks off let’s have a look at its past winners:
FIFA U-16 World Championship:
Year Winner Hosted
1985 Nigeria China
1987 Soviet Union Canada
1989 Saudi Arabia Scotland
FIFA U-17 World Championship:
1991 Ghana Italy
1993 Nigeria Japan
1995 Ghana Ecuador
1997 Brazil Egypt
1999 Brazil New Zealand
2001 France Trinidad and Tabago
2003 Brazil Finland
2005 Mexico Peru
FIFA U-17 World Cup:
2007 Nigeria South Korea
2009 Switzerland Nigeria
2011 Mexico Mexico
2013 Nigeria UAE
2015 Nigeria Chile
2017 India
