The refurbished Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, which will host the final of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, was today handed over to the event's Local Organisning Committee. Giving it a 10/10 rating, LOC tournament director Javier Ceppi said the revamped stadium is at par with any world-class venue that has hosted a FIFA World Cup final. Ceppi thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for getting the work done in two and half years' time. The Chief Minister will formally inaugurate the stadium from Uttar Kanya, the branch Secretariat of Government of West Bengal in Siliguri, North Bengal, on September 12. The Under-17 World Cup Final is the most important football match to be hosted in India's history. The matches of the tournament will be held at six different venues in India from October 6 to 28.The revamp of the stadium, formally known as Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, which was taken up on February 1,2015, cost the West Bengal government more than Rs 100 crore. Originally a 120,000 capacity stadium, the YBK is now reduced to an official 66,687 for the World Cup after FIFA enforced a guideline following a study with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority of the UK. However, the stadium can accommodate about 80,000.
News On AIR | September 10, 2017 6:57 PM
Salt Lake Stadium, venue for U-17 WC final, handed over to LOC