Rwanda might host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2019 if FIFA approves her bid.
The FIFA Inspection team is set to visit Kigali next week, February 21-24, 2018 to review the country’s facilities for Rwanda’s 2019 U-17 World Cup bid.
The Rwanda Football Federation confirmed the development in a media statement issued on their website on Friday morning.
According to FERWAFA, the FIFA officials will visit proposed stadiums, training facilities, hotels and hospitals in Kigali City, Bugesera District, Huye District, Muhanga District, Musanze District and Rubavu District respectively.
The FIFA officials led by Oliver Vogt and Christian Schmölzer (FIFA Tournament & Events, Youth Tournaments), will be in the company of officials from Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) and the Ministry of Sports.
The visit is aimed at assessing both the existing stadiums as well as other stadiums which are planned to be constructed.
The FERWAFA President Nzamwita Vincent said in a media statement, “The primary goal for the inspection at this stage is to enable FIFA to receive first-hand information on our (Rwanda) readiness to host this youth tournament, from assessing the existing infrastructure to proposed stadiums which will be constructed among others, hotels and hospitals.”
“This will enable the FIFA inspection team to report back to the FIFA Council before they make a final decision on the definitive host of the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.”
Nzamwita is optimistic that Rwanda will win the bid to host the tournament of such a stature, “After submitting our bid book to FIFA to host the tournament and considering the goodwill of our government in ensuring that all the needed requirements will be availed on time, I believe we will be given the opportunity to host this tournament because we’ve proved before that we are capable.”
According to the inspection schedule, the delegation will visit stadiums, training facilities, hotels and hospitals in Kigali and Musanze on February 21 then head to Rubavu, Huye and Muhanga Districts on February 22 before concluding with a visit to Bugesera District on February 23.
At the end of the inspection tour, the delegation will submit a report to assist FIFA’s Council to select a host for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament, which will be announced by FIFA before the end of this year’s first quarter, most probably in April in Zurich.
The FERWAFA president Nzamwita Vincent is confident Rwanda meets the requirements to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019 tournament.
In November last year, Rwanda submitted her definitive bid book to host the memorable 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The bid book had the overview of the country, proposed hosting sites, maps of the hosting cities, sporting information, and the overview of the stadiums which will host the games, training sites, and medical facilities.
Included was also the safety and security in the country, hotels, travel between host team cities, travel within host cities, an overview of finanial conditions, an overview of development and legacy of the country and human and labor rights, government declaration and hosting agreements.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup is one of FIFA’s oldest competitions, dating back to 1985 and since its inception, the competition has grown in size and stature, adding luster to the game by producing great attacking the football and unveiling exciting players for the future.
Suriname, Kenya, and Singapore are reported to be other nations that have shown interest in hosting the event-the the
last edition was held in India in 2017.
In 2011, Rwanda participated at the FIFA U-17 World Cup which was held in Mexico but didn’t go past the group stage.
