FIFA Under 17 World Cup: Stadiums to play host to extravaganza

India will kick start their biggest footballing experience on Friday as they face USA in the first group stage game at the Jawaharlal Stadium in New Delhi. India have never participated in a World Cup before. The fact that India are debuting in the FIFA U-17 World Cup is remarkable in itself. Nigeria have won the titel five times but the most successful team in the history of the tournament failed to qaulify for the World Cup. Six venues will be hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The stadium was renovated leading up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games and has since hosted football matches featuring the Indian team and home games for Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos. India's U-17 team will be playing all their group stage matches in Delhi. It will be hosting matches of India, Colombia, USA, Ghana and a group B match between Mali and new Zealand.

The DY Patil Stadium is a football and a cricket stadium in Nerul, Mumbai. It was officially inaugurated on 4 March 2008. With the capacity of 51,000 spectators, the Stadium has hosted the final of 20008 IPL final and 2014 ISL final. It will be hosting matches of New Zealand, Turkey, Parugay, Mali and a match between USA and Colombia followed by a Round of 16 match.

Being the smallest of all stadiums hosting U-17 World Cup, the Fatorda Stadium in Goa is among the six venues. It is the home of Goan giants Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers SC from the I-league and ISL team FC Goa. The arena was also the main venue for the AFC U-16 Championship in 2016 which also acted as qualifiers for the 2017 U-17 World Cup. The stadium in Goa will be hosting Group C matches between Iran, Guinea, Germany, Costa Rica. One off Group D match between Nigeria and Brazil.

Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati had received praise from FIFA inspection team. It is the home ground of ISL side NorthEast United and was built in 2007 when Guwahati hosted the 33rd National Games. IGA Stadium has also hosted three international matches. Guwahati will be hosting Honduras, Japan, New Caledonia and France and also a one-off Group F match between Mexico and Chile.

Jawaharlal Nehru International stedium, multipurpose stadium situated in Kochi, is locally known as the Kaloor Stadium. Home ground of ISl team Kerala Blasters, the stadium went through some major revamp to meet FIFA requirements and Tournament Director of the Local Organising Committee, Javier Ceppi was pleased with the renovation work undertaken at the stadium. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be hosting Group D teams - North Korea, Niger, Brazil, Spain and also a one-off Group C match between Guines and Germany.

The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium is situated in Salt Lake City and is commonly called as Salt Lake Stadium. It is the largest in India and could once house more than 1,20,000 spectators. Group F teams iraq, Mexico, Chile and England will be playing their group stage matches while a Group E game betweem Japan and New Caledonia will be played at the same venue too. It will host the best of the future stars at the final of the tournament on 28 October.

Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathor alongwith local authorities inspected JLN Stadium in New Delhi, one day before the commencement of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.